Troubled by corruption, social injustices, stubbornness, waste and inefficiency during the Gilded Age, progressives were dedicated to change and reform all the aspects of the society, state and economy of the United States of America. Several changes were ratified by the national government, including income tax imposition that followed the sixteenth constitution amendment, election of senators following the seventeenth constitution amendment, prohibition mandated by the eighteenth amendment of the constitution, reforms of the electoral system stopping the widespread corruption and scam and lastly suffrage of women mandated by the nineteenth constitutional amendment (Cowing and Cedric 20). The progressive era in the United States was marked by massive changes in both the economic and political structure of the nation; this era led to the acquisition of equity in all sectors of the economy, both politically and socially.
This era was marked by widespread political, regulation and social justice reforms. This period was experienced between the 1890s and 1920s. It was a period when there was a massive elimination of corruption in the Federal government. This movement had a primary target, which was the political machines within the Government and their godfathers (Cowing and Cedric 20). Its aim was to establish a direct democracy where there would be no social activism and political prejudice. It also targeted regulation monopolies plus corporations. The most important reform experienced in the regulation of monopolies was the introduction of antitrust laws. Antitrust laws acted as a way of creating fair competition for all legitimate competitors by offering equal chances to whoever was interested in the market. The Sherman Act of 1890, the Clayton Act of 1914 and lastly, the Federal Trade Commission of 1914 acted the statute for promoting antitrust laws (Ross and William 14). Many citizens of the US supported prohibition in order to demolish political godfathers or, rather, bosses in the saloons and, at the same time, promote women’s suffrage to get them into the voting arena. These two concerns in the country brought a movement that led to constitutional change. The constitutional amendment in 1917 ended the production of alcohol, and the next constitutional amendment in 1919 gave women the right to vote (Ross and William 14). These two amendments were very important in improving the democracy of the US and regulations in the business sector.
The movement began as a low-level movement organized to transform a community, but later, with time, it expanded up to the national level, where it drew support from all the middle-class citizens with supporters including ministers, lawyers, teachers and many others (Johnston and Robert 15). Several activities came together to reform the Federal government, industry, insurance, railroads, finance and others. It ended up transforming professionalism and making scientific sciences, history in specific, political science and economics. The social justice reform marked by the progressive era was the transformation of the banking system. Progressives were keen on making their steps towards reform in the United States, and this was evident when they tracked underway advancement in Western Europe. From this, they approved several policies, the main being the banking system transformation (Johnston and Robert 15). This banking system was formed by the creation of the Federal Reserve System.
In conclusion, the Progressive reform in the US marked the beginning of a new era full of economic, social and political development. This state led to massive development achievements, which have seen the United States become one of the world’s best economies. It has not only promoted development economically but also technologically, surely the Federal Government has proven to be one of the best in the World.
Work Cited
Cowing, Cedric B. Populists, Plungers, and Progressives: A Social History of Stock and Commodity Speculation, 1868-1932. Princeton University Press, 2015.
Johnston, Robert D. “INFLUENTIAL WORKS ABOUT THE GILDED AGE AND PROGRESSIVE ERA.” A Companion to the Gilded Age and Progressive Era (2017): 437-449.
Ross, William G. A muted fury: populists, progressives, and labor unions confront the courts, 1890-1937. Princeton University Press, 2014.
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