Progressivism: A Political Movement

Progressive, as defined by the textbook, describes a political movement where individuals and groups hoped to change the social and political issues in America that threatened the middle class (683). In theory, Progressivism would identify the causes of major issues in American citizens’ lives, then come up with solutions that would improve the unfavorable situations, whether it be in politics or the economy, progressives wanted to improve all areas of American society (“Lecture: The Progressive”). For example, many people blamed political corruption for their economic problems due to the government’s obvious favor for businessmen. Political parties, especially the Republican party, began to demand political reform that would support the ordinary