Progressive Era through the Great Depression
Introduction
The “Progressive Era” is the period of time from mid-1890s to early 1920s described by Robert Higgs as the “bridge to modern times” (Higgs, R., 1987). This is the period of time when America was undergoing rapid industrialization and urbanization. There was a wave of immigrants arriving from southeastern Europe and for this matter the city population had started bulging causing “overcrowding” leading to the creation of slum settlements, high rates of diseases, and increased mortality rates. The increasing number of problems aroused the “muckraking,” a group of journalists who revealed about political corruption, severe working conditions in factories and the awful living conditions in slums. Being aware of these nagging problems, many people, especially the middle working class started strategizing on how to bring about reforms, which was geared at improving living conditions for the working class (Higgs, R., 1987).
It is out all this awareness that the majority of people started getting involved in what could be referred to as progressive reforms. Successive presidents by then were involved in a series of implementing some of the progressive reforms (Higgs, R., 1987). Legislation at all levels in the government was implemented by reformers, whereby at the federal level, a sixteenth amendment (1913) was passed allowing for an income tax. The seventeenth amendment of the same year gave a way forward for citizens to vote and elect senators. The eighteenth amendment was passed in1919 which prohibited selling. In1920, another amendment was passed (nineteenth amendment) which enfranchised women. It is indeed argued that the progressive era laid the basis for Franklin D. Roosevelt’s programs of the 1930 for the ‘new deal.’ This essay is therefore, designed to navigate over some of these turning points for America and some of the historical events that shaped the present society, economy, politics and culture of the country.
Revisiting some of the turning points of the period of the progressive era, it is worth noting that, the general studies based on this period and biographies of those who led to reforms emphasize on movements towards politics and the society. Reforms for the economy included the expanded regulations, increase in activities of antitrust, income taxes and development of the insurance programs for the society. During this era, the shift to acquiring direct democracy provided women with a vote, the government got professionalized, empowered voters with a more say in elections and voting back political officials. The turning points that can be identified during the history of the progressive era are the formation of the women unions which fought for equal rights of women in the society. Two women union parties were formed; the National American Women suffrage Association (NAWASA) and the National Women Party (NWP). The other crucial historical turning points were the stock market crash of 1929, which shattered the economy and played a big role to mark the beginning of the Great Depression.
On a more close scrutiny, a change in the government’s part which was adopted during this era was more evolutionary than revolutionary. This is because of lack of amalgamated program to which all the left-wingers pledged; those who referred themselves as left-wingers at one point or another included social reformers, workers, the middle class, farmers, businesspersons and union leaders (Higgs, R., 1987).
Changes of the economy in the society, expansion of education level and the discontents with the government operations and the stench of corruption, made a contribution to the political movements expand the accountability of the government to voters. Many states passed amendments to their constitution to create direct and prevalent appointments of the US senators, chances for the recall elections for state officials, initiatives and referenda that permitted direct popular votes on matters and gave the women a vote. This followed by the federal government establishing the women’s suffrage of 1919. Many reforms were organized by women during the progressive era. Women groups were established which promoted the women’s suffrage. The National American Suffrage Association (NAWASA) which was founded in 1890 and the National Women Party (NWP) of 1913 made a combined effort which saw them win in getting the women have the right to vote in 1920. This was when the nineteenth amendment was passed and immediately after the First World War. Though they had won the right to vote, the women of the west did so earlier before those of the southern states. One of the reasons attached to this is the ‘myth of the frontier’ which posits that in the west it is where freedom, democracy and independence reigned; therefore, this extended the voting franchise to the western naturally. The second reason is that political leader which could encourage white women to come and settle (because of their shortage in number).
The evolution than revolution in the progressive era policies have made a lasting consequence in America’s economy. The reformers can however reclaim a long term objective due to the changing terms of the debate. The income tax and its adoption eliminated crucial constraints on the federal government’s ability of collecting revenue hence creating constraints on its ability to spend. Together with spending and taxation, the monetary policy forms the central figure of the macroeconomic policy. The American central bank was established because of the Federal Reserve System which was adopted in 1913. It can thus be argued that the Federal system has played a big role when it comes to the discussion of the modern economy of the United States. Moreover, the insurance system can trace its foundations from the progressive era. The worker’s compensation has been on the hands of the state level legislation, with other programs evolving from a mixture of the state and federal programs.
During the progressive period, people looked at the government as an agent change. Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson are held with esteem and as one of the progressive presidents in the history of America. They brought a lot of change in America during the progressive era. For example, when Roosevelt took power, he ran the government with morality, liberty and equality. Roosevelt pushed the congress to pass laws which, which some are in operation even up to today. The Meat Inspection Act, the Pure Food and Drug Act, the Land Conservation Act and the National Park System are some of the legislatures that were passed by Roosevelt.
The American-Spanish war helped America build an empire. It can be referred as one of the short, popular and rather cheap war. It had however a long range consequence. This is because during this war, the United States became invaders for their first time (Schultz, K. M., 2010). They successfully made their presence felt all over the world. They acquired control of many of the islands in the pacific like Hawaii, Guam, Marshall Island, the Philippines and many others (Schultz, K. M., 2010). Some of these places and islands were grabbed by force without the confirmation of the natives. Therefore, from this angle, the US started the campaign for the all countries. Since this war, Roosevelt started referring America as the monitor of the world, a status which has been maintained since then. There was thus a combined satisfaction by the theorists with the Darwinism to prove that the Anglo-Saxons, that the British and Americans had some unique qualifications to dominate and control the whole world (Schultz, K. M., 2010). The other fact was based on expansionism which rested on self-interested economic analysis. Due the theory that the country was suffering from overproduction, it thought that expanding to the world outside would give a solution to the market of her products. Therefore, America had to apply some political and military powers and pressures to other countries for guaranteed access of the country’s goods and investment capital to all possible markets.
“The boom and bust of the roaring twenties followed by the great depression affected the government’s involvement in the national economy”. This can be attributed from the angle that the 1920 was general prosperity and monetary stability marked with money growth that proceeded at a regular rate. The fame of the Federal Reserve System soared which cooperated at close range with central banks of Britain, France and Germany. They believed that the merging together of these central banks could assure both domestic and international stability. The “roaring twenties boom” of 1920 to 1929 promoted internal stability and balances in the international accounts and the prevention or moderating of the financial crisis. This was the duty of the Federal Reserve System, thus it conducted a widespread study on these issues. It was noted that at other times, the system extended their credits to foreign nations like Poland, Belgium, Italy and France. However the Federal Reserve Board noted and kept records on the bank suspensions and failures, and so it was not until 1930 that the bank felt obliged to intervene. The use of the operations of the open market and rediscounting was an indicator that regulation of the market was recognized even before the middle of the decade. To this effect a committee was organized to foresee the selling and buying of the government securities for all the Federal Reserve Banks and the operations of the open market to expand the money supply in the public hands by the purchase of the securities or other bills from the public. On top of this there was a great concern on differentiating productive from speculative use of credits since the commodities collapse of 1920-1921. Owing this in mind the banking sector underwent major changes in the 1920s where the states banking authorities compared with each other such as to attract other banks in their systems.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth understanding that during the progressive era the Americans desired to make improvements on their conditions which could be directed by the Federal Government. To another angle it was extended by private institutions like unions and women groups. During the 19020s the American business redirected America to the desire of the material things they provided. Despite all the turnarounds during the progressive era, America has been able to sail through to make one of the States whose wave can be felt in the world. Most of the trade and baking systems in the world can trace their route all the way from America.
References
Higgs, R. (1987). Crisis and leviathan: Critical episodes in the growth of American government. New York: Oxford University Press.
Schultz, K. M. (2010). Hist. Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
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