Progressivism the Early 20th Century

Progressivism

The early 20th century saw a great change in the American political landscape as society, as well as the traditional two parties, were heavily influenced by the new ideology known as "progressivism." The influence that progressivism played on the various political interests may have been diverse, but there is no doubt that it had a definitive influence on American politics, economics, and society. This influence can be identified through the writings of different political figures of the early 20th century who espoused progressive ideas to various degrees.

The earliest example of the influence of progressivism is in Debs' 1900 article "The Outlook for Socialism in the United States," which espoused a radical progressive ideology and openly states that socialism should replace the capitalist system. Debs would like to see American society, government, and economy completely transformed through socialism. By 1914, progressivism had taken root in American society, but not completely as predicted by Debs; something that Herbert Croly pointed out in his 1914 article "Progressive Democracy." Croly asserted that progressivism, but not necessarily socialism, was itself a force that could reform American political life. The old corrupt capitalistic system needed to be replaced, but with a new system which was "the result of an alert social intelligence as well as an aroused individual conscience." (Croly)

Debs and Croly are the two most radical writers being examined, with Debs the most radical. Both want to replace the old system with a new one, but while Croly felt that the new system should be a more intelligent and moral refection of the old one, Debs wanted a completely new socialistic system. This is different from the next two writers who were much less radical in their approach to applying progressive ideas to American society. Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson both espoused progressive ideas, but they felt that progressivism could be used to modernize specific aspects of American society without the need for a radical transformation.

After Debs and Croly, Wilson would have to be placed as the next most radical progressive writer examined. However, Wilson did not want to completely alter the American system but to have government regulate the private economy for the benefit of the people. It is Roosevelt that Wilson attacks in his 1913 article, "The New Freedom," but for simply not being progressive enough. While Roosevelt felt that the private sector, influenced by progressive ideas, could reform American society, Wilson wanted a more active role by the government and feared that the private sector, or "the combined power of high finance would be greater than the power of the government." (Wilson) on the other hand was the least radical of all the progressives discussed: Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt's idea of progressivism, discussed in the 1910 article "The New Nationalism," was a private sector that remained capitalist, but under the influence of the government. For instance, while Wilson wanted to destroy monopolies, which he felt were undermining the capitalist system, Roosevelt wanted to regulate them for "the interests of the public welfare." (Roosevelt)