Woodrow Wilson's New Nationalism

Progressivism That Compares and Contrast to Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt as well as to Wilson’s New Freedom and Roosevelt’s New Nationalism
Woodrow Wilson is known as the “New Freedom” attempt to enact his own version of Progressivism with support in lowering the tariffs on imports, strengthening the nation’s banks, support in using antitrust to deal with big business, but did not include any social justice legislature. At the top of Wilson’s schema, he lowers tariff rates. The Underwood‐Simmons Tariff of June 1913 reduced rates, 15 percent (Boyer et al. 521). “Producers of commodities like coal, timber, and wool demanded tariff protection against foreign competition as well as manufacturers” Boyer et al. 487). “However, the
521). Wilson states “that the progressive cause for business regulation through the Federal Trade Commission Act (1914) reflected an administrative approach with the power to investigate suspected violations, require regular reports from corporations, and issue cease-and-desist orders against unfair methods of competition” (Boyer et al. 521). If this Federal Trade Commission Act did not exist, companies and corporations would have varied interest rates for different groups of people. The Federal Reserve set interest rates and adopt fiscal policies to prevent financial panics, promote economic growth, and combat inflation” (Boyer et al. 521). Having these Anti-Trust Acts in place keeps companies honest because if they do anything illegal; however, the corporations are sued. This indicates that the “Clayton Antitrust Act (1914) took a legal tactic that improved the Sherman Anti-Trust Act’s indistinctness by signifying a series of illegal practices, such as selling at a loss to undercut competitors. With the added power of the Clayton Act, the Wilson administration filed antitrust suits against nearly a hundred corporations”
“Roosevelt endorsed most reforms, including lower tariffs, woman suffrage, business regulation, the abolition of child labor, the eight-hour workday, workers’ compensation, the direct primary , and the popular election of senators” (Boyer et al. 519-520). This broad plan called for reform in every area of American life, with the notable exception of race relations. The ideas behind The New Nationalism required involvement by the national government in many areas of American life. This was a total rejection of laissez-faire government (Boyer et al. 473). Roosevelt argued that the nation needed change and that it was going to take the federal government to get it done. According to the progressivism notes, Roosevelt’s 1912 platform endorsed the view of creating a strong central government with a focus on social justice. As stated in the text, Roosevelt chased his aspirations comprising of labor mediation, consumer protection, corporate regulation, natural-resource conservation, and engagement abroad (Boyer et al. 514). Moreover, Roosevelt approached labor disputes by calling out federal troops to break