THE PROGRESSIVE ERA c1890 – c1920 Movement to adjust to the major changes brought about by industrialism

Who were the Progressives? A bunch of different people who wanted to improve life in the U.S. Response to industrialization

GOALS of the PROGRESSIVES INDIVIDUALISM SOCIAL WELFARE DEMOCRACY INDIVIDUALISM—restore & preserve individual opportunity by using gov’t to regulate business SOCIAL WELFARE—gov’t should be active & used to benefit the welfare of all people DEMOCRACY—the power of gov’t must be in the hands of the people (not political bosses or corporations)

LABOR REFORMS ACHIEVED WORKER’S COMPENSATION SAFETY STANDARDS CHILD LABOR LAWS WORKER’S COMPENSATION Employer has responsibilities to worker hurt on the job Pay medical bills & Lost Wages Preserve job or Pay if can’t return to work

LABOR REFORMS ACHIEVED (cont.) MINIMUM WAGE & MAXIMUM HOURS 2/24/2019

GOVERNMENT REFORMS ACHIEVED DIRECT PRIMARY SECRET BALLOT INITIATIVES & REFERENDUMS RECALL DIRECT PRIMARY Political Party members vote to determine their party’s candidates for offices FORMERLY—Party leaders would talk & decided amongst themselves the party’s candidates SECRET BALLOT FORMERLY—Voters would place a colored card into a ballot box; different colors for different political parties INITIATIVES & REFERENDUMS Initiative—citizens can sponsor bills themselves Referendums—citizens vote directly on bills FORMERLY—all lawmaking done through Legislatures RECALL Citizens can remove an elected official from office before term is up FORMERLY—elected officials could only be removed through impeachment

2012 Ballot Question 2

2012 Ballot Question 3

GOV’T REFORMS ACHIEVED (cont.) 16TH AMENDMENT— Graduated Income Tax 17th AMENDMENT—Election of Senators 18th AMENDMENT—Prohibition of Alcohol 19th AMENDMENT—Women’s Suffrage 16TH AMENDMENT— Graduated Income Tax Active gov’t would need more $ to operate Graduated—different tax rates for different incomes Gov’t could manage disparity of wealth FORMERLY—income tax unconstitutional 17th AMENDMENT—Election of Senators Citizens elect Senators FORMERLY—appointed by state legislatures 18th AMENDMENT—Prohibition of Alcohol Pro-Family—husbands/fathers more likely to be good husbands & fathers Pro-Safety—workers can’t drink on job 19th AMENDMENT—Women’s Suffrage Expanding the Right to vote (I.e. Democracy) to adult women

WHAT ABOUT BIG BUSINESS? Only Gov’t had power to take on Big Business 2 Different Ideas Theodore Roosevelt—Regulation Woodrow Wilson--Elimination 2/24/2019

What to do about Big Business? THEODORE ROOSEVELT BB is dangerous BB is useful Gov’t Regulate BB to keep the good & get rid of the bad Big Business has benefits Efficiency (economies of scale) Int’l Competition Gov’t keeps watchful eye on BB regulate & prevent abuses

What to do about Big Business? WOODROW WILSON BB is dangerous Gov’t can’t effectively regulate BB Gov’t must eliminate BB Big Business inherently dangerous Incentives to abuse too strong Gov’t eliminate BB BB=Dominate Industry Gov’t break up trusts Gov’t approves mergers