The period in the history of the United States between the 1890s and the 1920s is often referred to as the progressive era. It is characterized by intensifying attempts to build a fully-functional, transparent state that aligns with the contemporary principles of positive development. Within this context, the eradication of corruption within all levels of the government was one of the primary objectives. At the same time, society saw major transformations that concerned different aspects of life. Yet, these changes were inconsistent across these aspects as big social improvements coincided with civil rights flaws in other cases. Thus, the progressive era became a period of intense social activism as people attempted to amend the imperfections within American society. A case in point is the movement to support women’s suffrage, which ultimately resulted in the Nineteenth Amendment, permanently securing their right to vote. On the other hand, during the progressive era, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled certain racist laws of the South as constitutional, allowing them to remain in effect. Overall, this is an eventful and controversial period that deserves additional exploration.
The progressive era is described by the specificity of its immigration patterns. In the late 19th century, urbanization became of the leading trends in developed societies as America’s local population began to move to large cities. Simultaneously, the United States saw an influx of immigrants from China and the South and East of Europe. These groups experienced different effects of American urbanization. Local citizens were mostly educated and skilled, benefiting from the improving infrastructure of large cities (Shulman & Westgate, 2019). Per their demand, first convenience stores and shopping centers were created. The labor market equally expanded to provide more skilled jobs, which were required to meet the needs of an urbanized community.
However, immigrants did not have similar levels of skill or education, which is why their experience with American urbanization was not as positive. Initially, there were enticed by the prospects of a prosperous life and high wages within the context of the American Dream. In reality, they had to endure poor living conditions and not at well-paid jobs at factories, slaughterhouses, and steel mills. This process instilled a certain level of stratification within urban communities (Shulman & Westgate, 2019). Downtown areas became busy corporate centers surrounded by poorer communities. The middle class took shape, and those who could afford it eventually preferred living in convenient suburbs and coming to the city centers for work.
These patterns of social inconsistency represent one of the instances of tensions within the framework of progressivism. In spite of the evident improvements, this period is characterized by the controversy that is enabled by the clash between social justice and the urge for social control. The government exhibited a natural desire to supervise society to ensure that the new values were in line on all levels. There were meaningful achievements in terms of social rights for certain groups that demanded them. Women’s suffrage is one of the most important examples of this progress, as they were finally granted constitutional rights to vote as rightful citizens of the United States.
This pursuit was driven by the inherent desire for freedom and equality within society. Simultaneously, the government came to realize that its reform plans required the support of the majority. Under such circumstances, the decision-makers had to take certain steps to meet the public’s demands. Yet, these transformations were not comprehensive. For example, the racially discriminating legislation of the Southern States was not eliminated. Furthermore, socioeconomic inequality increased with the growth of urbanization and further stratification of society (Vallet, 2020). In other words, while some people saw the immediate benefits of progressivism, others still had to endure serious challenges.
The progressive era encompassed three decades at the turn of the century, and World War I, known as the Great War, was the most important historical event on a global scale at the time. When the conflict erupted, the progressivist government faced a dilemma regarding the country’s participation in it. As per the progressivist doctrine, violence was condemned, which explains the increased uncertainty regarding this situation. The U.S. avoided participation until April 1917, when President Wilson announced the country’s entry into the conflict. Interestingly, most progressivists voiced their support of this decision because it was framed as a noble purpose. This conflict was supposed to become the war to end all wars, which aligned with the long-term goals of progressivism (Matulewska, 2021). In other words, it was an immediate sacrifice that would yield peace and democratic development in the future. Accordingly, the war entry was mostly objected to by the opposition, who insisted that the U.S. should focus on its internal development. On the other hand, progressivists warned that ignoring the conflict could entail even more bloodshed moving forward.
Closer to the end of the Great War, President Wilson announced a set of principles upon which the future of the global democratic community should be built. It is known as Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points, proposed in a speech to Congress in 1918. Half of these points were aimed directly at the territorial issues between the countries engaged in World War I. However, the remaining ones shared a vision of a peaceful future in which developed nations can co-exist in a spirit of unity and friendship. The points were based on the principles of democratic relations, including freedom and transparency (Mikołajczyk & Matulewska, 2021). These notions concerned most global affairs, such as political debates, trade, and industrial development. Countries were expected to reduce their armaments while simultaneously making their policies more transparent to avoid unnecessary tensions.
Evidently, such aspirations required the presence of a certain regulator, which was proposed in the form of an international organization that would ensure compliance with the principles of safety, security, and integrity of international relations. Implementing the Fourteen Points and creating such an international body required a series of compromises on behalf of the President. For Wilson, the League of Nations was the ultimate goal, for which he was ready to abandon other ideas. Yet, the rest of the federal government objected to this agenda. For the majority, being part of the League was associated with a loss of America’s political independence (Mikołajczyk & Matulewska, 2021). In the end, the Treaty of Versailles was not accepted by the U.S.
Overall, the progressive era became a major turning point in the history of the United States. During this period, the country saw major transformations in the political, economic, and social spheres. The struggle to provide the population with due civil rights continued, and some oppressed groups succeeded, but for others, the fight persisted into the next century. The effects of progressivism were not exclusively positive, as these decades laid the foundation for further social stratification. On an international scale, there was limited progress in achieving global democratic goals. Furthermore, unresolved issues in the post-Great-War period eventually caused the next global conflict.
References
Mikołajczyk, M., & Matulewska, A. (2021). Who is right, and who is wrong? Interpreting 14 points of Wilson – a case study of deontic modals and their meanings. Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric, 66(1), 83–103. Doi: 10.2478/slgr-2021-0006
Shulman, M., & Westgate, J. C. (2019). Performing the Progressive Era: Immigration, urban life, and nationalism on stage. University of Iowa Press.
Vallet, G. (2020). Inequalities and the Progressive Era: Breakthroughs and legacies. Edward Elgar Publishing.