Effects of the Progressive Era in American Society Nowadays

20th June 2021

The progressive era was the movement of reformation that ran from the late 19th century through the early 20th century. In this era, the social reformers and leading intellectuals in the US sought to address cultural, political, and economic questions that arose due to the massive changes that came with the Industrial Revolution and the development of modern capitalism in the United States.

The Progressive believed that the changes put an end to the old orders and wanted new orders that are ideal for the new industrial age to be created.

Progressive Era Explained

The Progressive Era was a period of political reform and widespread social activism across the US. The Progressive Era United States lasted from the 1890s to the 1920s. The reformers were mainly Christian ministers or middle-class society women.

The major aim of the progressive movement in the progressive era was to address issues caused by immigration, urbanization, industrialization, and political corruption. Early progressive reformers such as Lester Ward and John Dewey prioritized a comprehensive and universal system of education at the progressive agenda.

Their reason is that if a democracy turns out successfully, the general public and the leaders need a good education, as seen in many free essay samples discussing the Progressive Era. This made progressives work very hard to improve and expand private and public education at all levels.

Reasons Why the Progressive Era Started

Many reasons led to the beginning of the Progressive Era, some of which include:

  • The population of the United States of America increased significantly at the end of the 19th century. The population surged by almost 100 percent between 1870 and 1900.
  • The immigration rate to the US surged enormously at the end of the 19th century. The migration of people to urban centers also increased, as people kept searching for a better life.
  • There was a shift from small-scale business and manufacturing to large-scale factory production.
  • The growth and development of industries and cities introduced new issues like dangerous working conditions, worsening economic inequality, and overcrowded, poor living conditions.
  • A few elites owned the majority of wealth, and they had huge political and economic power, while the majority of people lacked the opportunity to thrive.

Fortunately, with free papers, research, and study tools and guides, someone can still access most of this information.

The Issues of the Industrialization

Many people benefited from industrialization in the US, but there are some downsides to it. Corporate bosses pursued unfair and unethical business practices to reduce competition and maximize profits—this subjected many factory workers to perilous and brutal living and working conditions.

The corruption in politics increased significantly, and the working, lower classes suffered this mostly. There was a huge gap between those that have and those that do not have. These negative effects of industrialization are what led to the Progressive movement.

The aim of the progressive reformers was to strengthen protections for consumers and workers, regulate the private industry, expose corruption in both large businesses and the government, and enhance the society at large.

The Effects of the Progressive Era in Nowadays Lives

The progressive era began a reform tradition that is still effective in the United States until this day. Other effects of the progressive era to the new era include:

  • The breaking down of monopolies because of the violation of federal law.
  • Many trade groups, labor unions, and religious, professional, and civic associations were founded. They brought positive changes to the lives of people and communities.
  • The modern-day progress and the government are still benefiting from the regulations that the progressive groups enacted.
  • For Progressive groups, freedom is redefined as the fulfillment of human capacity. Fortunately, modern-day progress is still benefiting from what the Progressives believed in and fought for, and many still get ready to leverage most of the things they stood for.

Conclusion

The roots of liberalism and freedom that most of us are enjoying in this era lie in the Progressive Era. To a certain degree, modern traditionalism owes its progress to the recovery of the Founders’ constitutionalism. In light of this view, is it possible for anyone to rebuild a coalition of racial minorities today?