People in America strongly felt domestic economic reforms were necessary at the start of the 20th century. The progressive movement was born in reaction to this need, and its goal was to hold the government more accountable for society. This essay will examine the working circumstances of employees prior to reforms, go through how the government controls monopolies, and look at how progressive presidents have advanced economic fairness.
The success of wealthy individuals’ monopolies at the turn of the 20th century was notable. Due to their enterprises, families like the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and Mellon enjoyed tremendous wealth while their people endured appalling working conditions and lived below the poverty line. Business executives could not be referred to as “captains of industry” since they had no intention of improving their workforce credentials or manufacturing processes (Blakemore, 2021). Moreover, it did not appear that the exploitation of a cheap labor force required much business skill. Therefore monopolists of the era could scarcely be described as “shrewd businesspeople” (Blakemore, 2021).
On the other hand, they may legitimately be referred to as “robber barons” since they exploited their employees without paying them adequately for their work, which could be considered robbery. In the Era of Industry, labor conditions in America were far from ideal. It appears that employers at the time did not give a damn about the safety and welfare of their employees. For instance, the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in Manhattan, which ended in 146 fatalities, directly resulted from complete contempt for safety regulations (Markel, 2021). The floor was greasy, the bins were filled with combustible debris, and the escape doors were closed without a sprinkler system.
In meat-packing facilities, Sinclair said, “rats were annoyances, and the shippers would throw poisoned pieces of bread out for them, causing them to die, and afterwards rats, food, and flesh would go on the chutes together” (Markel, 2021). The good news is that progressives took notice of these monstrosities and enacted some legislation to protect workers and enhance their working circumstances. The state made significant contributions to workplace reform. The American government started to control commerce beginning with Roosevelt’s administration. Roosevelt’s government filed lawsuits against more than 40 trusts because they had become monopolies and engaged in unethical economic activities, such as the Northern Securities railway trust, the American Tobacco firm, and Standard Oil. Additionally, in response to the catastrophe at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory, Congress implemented safety regulations, outlawed forced labor, and created a national minimum wage (Blakemore, 2021). Therefore, the working circumstances would not have altered if it were not for the government’s measures.
As was indicated above, the main advantage of the Federal Government’s monopoly restrictions was that they made it unlawful for large corporations to mistreat their employees, forcing business owners to take care of their staff. Woodrow Wilson controlled business by lowering tariffs, which stopped monopolies from forming and promoted international competition (Markel, 2021). Large corporations were subject to state regulation, which limited their influence and made them responsible for the public’s welfare and bottom lines.
Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson were three developmental American presidents who worked to advance economic fairness and labor reform. However, Theodor Roosevelt made the most significant contribution since he started the internal economic reforms his predecessors carried out. He abolished several monopolies, enacted the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act, and took steps to protect mineral wealth (Markel, 2021). Roosevelt established government intervention in monopolies, secured consumer protection, and enhanced working conditions for workers.
In conclusion, the status of employees at the beginning of the 20th century was abhorrent. The progressive movement first appeared due to business executives’ unbridled power and contempt for the workforce’s safety. Its supporters fought for monopoly regulation and better working conditions from the government. Roosevelt, the first liberal president, launched measures to achieve those objectives.
References
Blakemore, E. (2021). How the triangle shirtwaist factory fire transformed worker protections. History. Web.
Markel, H. (2021). How the triangle shirtwaist factory fire transformed labor laws and Protected Workers’ Health. PBS. Web.