What did the progressive reformers of the early-twentieth century have in common?

Question

How would you characterize progressive reformers? Were they idealists or pessimists?
Did progressives have faith in government?
How successful were the progressives?

Answer 1

1. They were all idealists in the hope that their actions could evoke change, however they saw the business community and politicians in a pessimistic way.

2. Progressives DID have faith in government when honest, hard-working people had the chance to be involved in its operation. If they didn't have faith in government they wouldn't have worked hard to reform it, they would instead have been anarchists.

3. The progressives were VERY successful. Just look at their accomplishments:
--Women got the right to vote
--Child labor was virtually eliminated
--Housing conditions in inner cities was greatly improved
--Business trusts were exposed and broken during the Roosevelt and Taft administrations
--Tariffs were reduced during the Wilson presidency
--Prohibition was passed thanks to the progressives
--Lynching of blacks in America virtually came to a halt thanks to Ida B. Wells and her progressive campaign against lynching
--Immigrants were given help in settling in, in America through the Settlement Houses (like Hull House)
--City governments were cleaned up and mayors were replaced with city councils (as in Galveston, Texas)


And there you have it

Answer 2

Progressives were almost to a person idealists. They believed that people could act collectively to improve the world.

Yes, had a great deal of faith in government, and instituted many of their most important reforms using the tools of government, either at the federal, state or sometimes municipal level.

They succeed on several fronts:
The Food and Drug Administration was created as a result of Progressives. Many of the political reforms they instituted are still in place today. Progressive income taxes were a progressive reform. Direct Election of Senators.
Getting women the right to vote was on the agenda of some progressives (generally women).

Answer 3

That's a great question

Answer 4

Possibly, but I don't know for sure

Answer 5

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