In today’s political arena, candidates such as Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders ‘debate’ on whomever is the most progressive candidate. But what does it mean to be a progressive and when did this radical political idea come into fruition? The Progressive Reform began at the dawn of the twentieth century, at a time when America was a cultural melting pot and the years of peace leading to WWI. The new progressive waged war on monopolies, corruption, inefficiencies, and social injustices. Even though the progressives fought a ‘war’ on many fronts, the efforts’ of the reformers was to “Strength the State.” The three great Progressives are Theodore Roosevelt, the man of ample girth William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson and. But which one of
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Being a progressive reformer, Roosevelt recognized the growing rift between individuals creating a canyon of indifferences. Roosevelt in response decided to construct a bridge across the canyon of indifferences, known as the Square Deal. The Square Deal was built upon the three C’s: consumer protection, control of corporations, and conservation of natural resources. The Square Deal for labor was put to the ultimate test in 1902, during a strike by coal workers. The workers demanded a 20 percent increase in pay and shorter hours, obviously the mine owners refused. The coal supply ran scarce, forcing even hospitals to remain cold. Roosevelt employed his big stick policy and threatened the seizure of the mines. Consequently Roosevelt had interrupted in the Laissez-faire economic policy, which proposed leaving the economy alone. This was the first but not the last time Roosevelt would interrupt the laissez-faire …show more content…
The four corner stones of Wilson’s progressive legislation was the Underwood Tariff Bill, Clayton Antitrust Act, Federal Reserve Act, and finally the Federal Trade Commission. President Wilson came into the oval office with a clear mission, an all-out assault on the “triple wall of privilege”: which is the tariff, banks, and trusts. Wilson first decided to tackle the issue of the tariff, passing the Underwood Tariff Bill which significantly reduced duties. Also the Bill introduced the graduated income tax, the new tax was passed under the authority of the Sixteenth Amendment. The next wave of the assault was on the banking and currency system, the need for reform was evident after the financial panic of 1907. Wilson recognized the need for reform and in 1903 he put pen to paper and signed the Federal Reserve Act. Which created a nationwide system of twelve districts, each with its own central bank. The Act also create the Federal Reserve Board, who was appointed by the president. The board was in charge of issuing paper money, allowing the outflow of money to be curbed to avoid financial panic, like those of 1907. Finally Wilson ordered the final assault that would bring down the “triple wall of privilege”, the only remaining enemy was the trusts. The wall came down when Congress passed the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914. The act allowed the
Being a progressive reformer, Roosevelt recognized the growing rift between individuals creating a canyon of indifferences. Roosevelt in response decided to construct a bridge across the canyon of indifferences, known as the Square Deal. The Square Deal was built upon the three C’s: consumer protection, control of corporations, and conservation of natural resources. The Square Deal for labor was put to the ultimate test in 1902, during a strike by coal workers. The workers demanded a 20 percent increase in pay and shorter hours, obviously the mine owners refused. The coal supply ran scarce, forcing even hospitals to remain cold. Roosevelt employed his big stick policy and threatened the seizure of the mines. Consequently Roosevelt had interrupted in the Laissez-faire economic policy, which proposed leaving the economy alone. This was the first but not the last time Roosevelt would interrupt the laissez-faire …show more content…
The four corner stones of Wilson’s progressive legislation was the Underwood Tariff Bill, Clayton Antitrust Act, Federal Reserve Act, and finally the Federal Trade Commission. President Wilson came into the oval office with a clear mission, an all-out assault on the “triple wall of privilege”: which is the tariff, banks, and trusts. Wilson first decided to tackle the issue of the tariff, passing the Underwood Tariff Bill which significantly reduced duties. Also the Bill introduced the graduated income tax, the new tax was passed under the authority of the Sixteenth Amendment. The next wave of the assault was on the banking and currency system, the need for reform was evident after the financial panic of 1907. Wilson recognized the need for reform and in 1903 he put pen to paper and signed the Federal Reserve Act. Which created a nationwide system of twelve districts, each with its own central bank. The Act also create the Federal Reserve Board, who was appointed by the president. The board was in charge of issuing paper money, allowing the outflow of money to be curbed to avoid financial panic, like those of 1907. Finally Wilson ordered the final assault that would bring down the “triple wall of privilege”, the only remaining enemy was the trusts. The wall came down when Congress passed the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914. The act allowed the