The Age of Reform:1890-1920

Populist and Progressive responses to rapid development

The Age of ReformRichard Hofstadter, a prominent American historian of the mid-20th century, wrote The Age of Reform a classic analysis on social, political and economic developments of the turn-of-the-century.Hofstadter described the period from the 1890s to the 1930s as an Age of Reform which attempted to deal with the rapid and radical changes occurring within the country.He divided the reforms this way:

1890-1900 – The Age of Populism and the Bryan Campaign1900-1914 – The Progressive Era 1930s – The New Deal

He felt these reform movements set the political and social tone of American discourse for the rest of the century.

Populism/William Jennings Bryan: An Agrarian Response

The first wave of political and social reform responded to the problems of the western farmers.

The Grange Movement and the Farmers’ Alliance saw government regulation as the solution to the problems of banks and railroads.

Why might this be difficult?

A 3rd political party, The Populist Party, was created in 1892 to give farmers a greater voice in reform.

The Populist PartyWhat the Populists stood for:

- increased money supply (bimetallism-backing currency with Gold and Silver)

- a graduated income tax - federal loans for farmers

- popular election of US Senators- stronger regulation of the railroads

1896 – William Jennings Bryan give the “Cross of Gold” Speech at the Democratic Party convention and becomes Democrat/Populist candidate for president.

Bryan’s loss represented the limits of a single-constituency party in national elections.

Progressivism takes up the fightThe Progressive Movement was a middle-class reform effort that addressed more broad ranging problems created by rapid development.

Progressivism had four goals:Protecting Social WelfarePromoting Moral ImprovementCreating Economic ReformFostering Efficient/Responsive Governments

MuckrackersProgressive reforms and the need for reform became popular through a group of reporters who exposed corruption in business and politics through investigative reports in popular magazines and books.

Famous muckrakers included: Ida Tarbell History of Standard Oil - Rockefeller

Upton Sinclair The Jungle -Industrial food productionRay Stannard Baker “The Right to Work” – coal minersLincoln Steffens The Shame of the CIties –political

corruptionJacob Riis How the Other Half Lives - urbanization

States respond first . . .

Progressives were first successful in making changes at local and state levels.

Changes included:initiative/referendum/recalldirect election of Senators (17th Amendment)reduction in working hours and child labor

A more active federal governmentThree Presidents became “Progressive Reformers”Teddy Roosevelt, William Taft and Woodrow Wilson.

Inspired by Muckrakers they supported federal efforts to reform bad business practices.

Trust-busting – TR begins to use the Sherman Anti-Trust ActPublic Safety – Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug ActRailroads – Interstate Commerce Commission is empoweredSupporting Unions – Worker’s right to organize is recognized

How does this represent a different role of government in reform movements?