The Progressive Era was a period of social activism and
political reform in the United States that flourished from the 1890s to the
1920s. One main goal of the Progressive movement was purification of
government, as Progressives tried to eliminate corruption by exposing and
undercutting political machines and bosses. Many (but not all) Progressives
supported prohibition in order to destroy the political power of local bosses
based in saloons. At the same time, women's suffrage was promoted to bring a
"purer" female vote into the arena. A second theme was building an Efficiency
movement in every sector that could identify old ways that needed modernizing,
and bring to bear scientific, medical and engineering solutions.
After reading it should be clear that Roosevelt is more a social progressive while Wilson plays the role of economic progressive. There is no doubting the weight they placed on focusing on the wants and needs of the American people as they set their presidential agendas. But let's compare the two more closely....who was the more important President for Progressivism? T. Roosevelt or Wilson?
Cast your vote and justify it...discuss specific legislation, events or actions that inspire your vote. Beware of rehashing what other posters have already said... be sure to push the conversation forward and speak to each others thoughts and points in this forum.
17 comments:
I believe that Theodore Roosevelt was the president who was more important for the progressive era because one he was against big companies or monopolies since they did not care the safety of their employees, two he passed the acts such as Elkins Act to railroad companies that prevented unfair practices, Hepburn Act that set a maximum rates, Meat Inspection Act which provided save foods to consumers, Pure Food and Drug Act which made companies responsible for what they were producing and three Roosevelt also saved 100 million acres of land for national parks, so he did everything to satisfy the needs of an average person.
Even though Wilson did a bunch of things that helped with the progressive era such as the Clayton Anti-Trust Act, support for organized labor, and attempts to improve child labor laws. I believe that before we could work on the economic side of the progression we should work on the social problems such as safety of the citizens and social classes. So that is why I believe President Roosevelt is the more important in the progressive era.
Theodore Roosevelt was the more important president for the progressive era because he addressed the problems of labor and corporate activity. Roosevelt defended the right of labor to organize and attempted to avoid the use of troops to put down strikes. He intervened in a United Mine Workers Strike and helped labor get management to agree to binding arbitration. Therefore, a compromise decision gave the miners a 10 percent pay boost and a working day of nine hours. Roosevelt established the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act due to the unsanitary food products and mislabeling of foods and medicines. Piles of poisoned rats, rope ends, splinters, and other debris were scooped up and canned as potted ham. In addition, meat shipped over state line would be subject to federal inspection. Social problems should be considered as the first selection because it contains the aspiration and safety of the citizens. Also, people altogether compose a state.
I think Theodore Roosevelt was more progressive. Roosevelt and Wilson both cared for the country, but Roosevelt achieved more. Roosevelt helped strengthen foreign affairs among countries which lasted longer. Roosevelt's plane of "Big-Stick Policy" was more effective, and it was meant to speak softly and carry a big stick. He stood firm in getting foreign affairs to be strengthened once again. While Wilson's plan of foreign affair was reasonable, but did not very have a great impact as Roosevelts. Roosevelt also was more political when he organized the Panama Canal to be formed. He built the canal to connect to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He also succeeded with bringing peace to nations which was what the "Big-stick policy" did. He helped settle the conflicts between Russia and Japan bringing peace and putting his "big-stick policy" into play
Although both Roosevelt and Wilson wanted to make changes to the nation for the better of the people and the country,I think Roosevelt was a more progressive president. Roosevelt helped turn America into a superpower. He also helped pass the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 and the Meat Inspection Act of 1906. The country had gone to industry and there was a need to regulate and guide actions of commerce, especially with food safety and quality. Roosevelt liked the outdoors and wanted to conserve wildlife, he was considered an environmentalist. One of the things he did was to urge congress to develop the United States Forest Service. I would say Teddy Roosevelt was the most progressive president between himself and Wilson is because he made big important changes. For example, he made us a dominant power in the Western hemisphere, with his "speak softly, and carry a big stick" policy.
Roosevelt and Wilson had one main similarity: they both wanted to expand all systems to be in favor not only a certain group but the entire country's people as a whole. However, their differences ultimately proved that Roosevelt was a more progressive president.
Wilson attempted to make changes, but many actions ultimately failed. For example, he obtained passage of Child labor laws, but these laws were ultimately overturned by the supreme court. Wilson also failed to persuade the Senate to ratify the League of Nations treaty.
Many of Roosevelt's decisions ended up to be beneficial to the United States. For example, after reading "The Jungle" which includes the portrayal of the unacceptable conditions of the meat packing process, he obtained the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act, which served to inspect food and provide a better reassurance of sanitary conditions. He also passed the Antiquities Act which led to the construction of the national parks system. He also made happened the construction of the Panama Canal and a "two ocean navy".
I agree with the others in saying that Theodore Roosevelt was more important for the progressive era. Roosevelt was a unique president in that he actually wanted to and did represent "the people". He did not go strictly by pleasing the demands of different political parties, he aimed to do what was best for the majority. He would go to strenuous measures just to make sure the people were satisfied. For example, the cooperation had become too powerful as well as corrupt. The works were placed in unsafe and unsanitary conditions to make these products. Roosevelt tried to get better conditions legislated.Roosevelt also played a role in foreign affairs with other countries. He believed that the U.S should be a world power. On the other hand, Wilson was not so much of an active president. He did not really take the initiative to go through with things. For example Wilson had to be dragged into world war 2 while Roosevelt was willing to take action in world war 1. Wilson also felt it was the government's job to regulate things like child labor, etc, while Roosevelt took action himself.
The Progressive movement was fortunate to receive support from the President of the United States consecutively for three different Presidents. Theodore Roosevelt was the first president of the United States to support progressivism, although he considered himself a devote member of the Republican Party. The following two presidents, William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson, continued to address the same problems that the Progressives saw as the most significant. Each of these three presidents succeeded in aiding the Progressive Movement in different areas and through different methods. It is clear Roosevelt was the first to deal with the problems the Progressive Movement hoped to solve; however, his achievements may not be as impressive on paper as those of Taft or Wilson but Roosevelt is recognized as the President who initiated the Progressive Reform Movement in America. “Theodore Roosevelt adopted a cautious version of progressive reform. He cultivated party leaders in Congress, and he steered away from such political thickets as the tariff and banking issues.” Although Roosevelt was weary of certain problems, Taft and Wilson were uninhibited in their pursuit of issues Roosevelt purposefully avoided.
Out of the two presidents, I would have to say Roosevelt was more progressive. Theodore Roosevelt was the first president of the United States to support progressivism, although he considered himself a devote member of the Republican Party. He took what he was given and changed it, an example would be "The Jungle", a book that describes the horrific process in meat packaging, this pushed him to enforce the meat inspection act. He was considered a progressive because he supported the National Park System, and instead of being opposed to immigrants he encouraged immigration to the US providing they got with the program learned English, and worked to be productive members of society. Roosevelt also banned child labor, busted monopolies and trusts, and on several occasional sent in the Army to defend strikers during labor movements. Last but not least, Teddy Roosevelt recognized environmental issues and took action about it.
I agree that Theodore Roosevelt was more progressive. Roosevelt took the lead in breaking up monopolies, aka Trust Busting and he mediated a labor dispute between miners and mine owners; the miners ended up with a generous pay raise. He was the first president able to settle a labor dispute. Due to W. Wilson's naive view in foreign policy he was unable to learn from any mistake, and betrayed every promise he made about keeping the US out of Europe's problems, committed the US to its first great failed international crusade, and result of the income tax.
Amber
I think that Teddy Roosevelt was a better progressive leader. If it was not for Roosevelt would social problems like fair wages,and ecvironmental problems effecting peoples heatlh etc be brought up so soon? Although Teddy was the first president to explore such issues, he may not have gotten the recognition he deserved, like Taft and Wilson who further continued cultivating the Progressive Movement. Yes, Wilson did create poliicies and acts to help the environment but I beloeve Roosevelt had the best approach.
Theodore Roosevelt was the most important president during the progressive era.He was a true advocate of progressivism. He fought for laborers, organizing compromises between the workers, and management ensuring all working environments were safe, and sanitary, as well as the food products they were producing and releasing. TR also became the"father of environmentalism". He started the National Parks, and pushed, beginning the Conservation Movement. Theodore most importantly was all for "the people", giving them more than just a vote, but an extensive role in the government. So as he expanded the federal government, he made sure not to leave "the people" and the progressive American spirit behind.
I would vote for Theodore Roosevelt because he was the more progressive President. Wilson was progressive but his actions focused around bettering the economy, which has been addressed before by other Presidents. TR was the first to really tackle environmental issues. He set aside National Parks for public use and protected lands with the Antiquities Act. His work with environmentalism and conservationism set the stage for future Presidents to help better America's environment as well.
I believe that Theodore Rosevelt was a more progressive president. TR helped "the people" fight corruption, inefficiency, and social justice. He passed the Meat Inspection Act, after being enlightened of the horrors by Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, and passed the Pure Food and Drug Act to try and prevent the adulteration and mislabeling of foods and pharmaceuticals, created an antitrust suit, and helped initiate conservation projects, like the Newlands Act of 1902. Sure Wilson achieved many things, such as the Underwood Tariff of 1913 and the Federal Trade Commission Act. But Wilson also led the U.S. into war and it seemed as though he was not as involved in foreign policies that the U.S. could have benefited from.
Roosevelt was the more important president for Progressiveness. After Mckinley's death, he Progressive movement "shot into high gear under the dynamic leadership of a activist, reform minded president"(Blue Book). Roosevelt facing the first economic crisis of his presidency made it clear that he favored neither business nor labor, but something called Square Deal for both. This showed how he was a social progressive. The plan targeted trust regulation, labor relations, and public health and conservation. In other words, the three C's: Corporations, Consumer protection, and Conservation of natural resources. He was able to pass the Meat Inspection Act, the Pure Food and Drug Act. He was also one of the most notable presidents for focusing on environmentalism, pushing for conservation and starting the first national park. Compared to Roosevelt, Wilson focused more on economic concerns rather than the social. Roosevelt focused more on social reforms, which captured the support of the people.
I also believe that Theodore Roosevelt was the better president during the Progressive era, because he solved many of the issues in society during this time such as the environment, labor laws, and big corporations. Everyone already named most of the Acts and other solutions that Roosevelt accomplished during his presidency, so I won't really go into detail. But I do want to add that Imani made an excellent point today in class when she compared Roosevelt to Licoln, and how many people thought he was a "dictator" as well because he acted upon what he thought was right, instead of getting the approval from Congress first. I think she said something like "Roosevelt needed things to be done quick, and sometimes it takes to long for an idea to go through all these different people [Congress]". To me, Imani was right because Roosevelt had many tasks that he needed to accompish in order to better America's socaial, economic, and even environmental aspects. So basically, I feel like Theodore Roosevelt was not only the "peoples' president" but the better president during this era because he fixed many of the problems that faced America during this time. Yes, Wilson accomplished many things during his presidency as well--such as women gaining the right to vote--but Roosevelt was just better in my opinion.
I think that Wilson was the better president for the progressive movement because he was more experienced. Of course, experience is not always needed on important but in this case, i think it is. Even though Roosevelt did perform his duty of progressiveness environmentally, Wilson was the better progressive leader. From his former leadership positions as president of Princeton University, and governor of New Jersey, his job as president came easy. He entered the White House with clear plans of improving America economically, and he did. Wilson i believe was an active president that did what he said he would do. He persuaded congress to pass the Underwood Tariff Bill: that lowered rates on imports, signed off on the Federal Reserve Act:which provided twelve chosen districts with its own bank, and the Federal Trade Commission Act was launched that allowed an appointed commission to engage in interstate commerce. There were definitely many other achievements of Wilson's presidency but all in all, I think he was the better Progressive president.
In a contest for who was the better progressive president thoedore Roosevelt did do alot with many issues such as enivmentalism, helping the working class, (square deal, along with many acts), fought against corporations, and did alot with forgein policy. Wilson's and his new freedom defeated Roosevelt and his nationalism in a contest over different forms of progressivism. Wilson successfully carried out a broad progressive economic reform of tariff, finances. And trusts. He also achieved social reforms that benifited the working class(not blacks however) althought Wilson's goals In forgiveness goals were less successful, but he was involved in military affairs in the Caribbean smd revolutionary Mexico. The outbreak of WWI in Europe also brought the threat of American involvement. Wilson first avoided war and this narrowly won him reelection with Republicans. Though Wilson's attempt to promote idealistic progressive forgein policy failed the damgours threat of this WWI was pressure that TR didn't have to handle and Wilson handed well. I think Wilson was the better president.
Post a Comment