Reform in American Society (1890–1920): Identifying Key Issues
The Progressive Movement in the United States concentrated on tackling a wide variety of domestic concerns that were in desperate need of reform during the first two decades of the 20th century. The subject of age-inappropriate work shines out in particular during this time. It was a widespread and severely alarming problem that children as young as six or seven years old were working long hours in dangerous and exploitative settings in factories, mines, and other companies.
Addressing Age-Inappropriate Work: A Focus on Reform
To raise awareness of the problem and win the public’s support for reform, progressives used photography, investigative journalism, and public speaking. As part of a broader context, labor unions contributed to the advocacy for young work limitations. Additionally, progressives campaigned to pass federal and state legislation that prohibited early workforce exploitation. The Keating-Owen Act of 1916, which forbade the selling of goods made by children in interstate commerce, is the most notable piece of legislation (Bowes, 2019). This law was effective at the time, even though later changes made it less so.
Progressive Efforts to Resolve the Issue
In addressing this issue, the Progressive Movement had varying degrees of success. The Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate the Keating-Owen Act was a severe setback despite the fact that they had made tremendous progress in raising awareness and enacting laws at the state and federal levels (Novak, 2020). Comprehensive government prohibitions were not put in place until the Great Depression. The Progressive Movement’s attempts to address this type of workforce are still being felt today. In the United States, child labor is no longer socially acceptable or tolerated by the law. This reflects a larger societal change in favor of recognizing and defending young people’s rights and welfare.
Lasting Impact: Connections to the Present Day
In conclusion, there are still some concerns about child labor worldwide, while the problem has not yet been fully remedied. The lessons learned from the Progressive Era’s efforts to address these problems serve as a reminder of the significance of safeguarding people’s rights and welfare in society. The United States continues to play a role in pushing for early-age rights on an international scale.
References
Ackerman, L. (2019). Tenth Amendment: The United States’ defining compromise. Federalism-E, 20(1), 44-56. Web.
Bowes, J. (2019). “Every Citizen a Sentinel! Every Home a Sentry Box!” The Sentinels of the Republic and the Gendered Origins of Free-Market Conservatism. Modern American History, 2(3), 269-297. Web.
Novak, W. J. (2020). Institutional economics and the progressive movement for the social control of American business. Business History Review, 93(4), 665-696. Web.