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Compare And Contrast Populists And Progressives

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“It is no longer a government of the people, by the people and for the people,” said Populist leader Mary Elizabeth Lease. She felt that not only the government, but society as a whole was failing to live up to what the founders had in mind for America. The country had entered a period of reform, and one could only hope to end up on the right side of it at the end. It was old principles battling the idea of new solutions. Towards the end of the 19th century America was going through a period of change. Businesses were booming, agriculture was on the rise, and inventions were pouring out like a seemingly never ending waterfall. The West was starting to develop with the addition of rails. However, overexpansion caused many railways to go bankrupt. …show more content…

Much like the Populists, both parties called for change and focused on making America better. Their beliefs differ in how and why America should be changed. The Populists focused on farmers, while the Progressives on the other hand, directed their power towards the city. They wanted to clean up the cities and make them better. They tried helping homeless people and getting all of the dirty, unkempt “trash” off the streets. They tried to contain violence and crime. They wanted to strengthen democracy, protect laborers, and promote social welfare. Due to the new technological advancements and rapid industrialization, citizens flocked to the North as factories opened their doors to people willing to work. This often resulted in long work days, hazardous conditions, and little pay. The Progressives wanted to stop this. In turn this affected economic growth and helped separate the industry rich tycoons and poverty stricken laborers even further. The gap between these two began to grow larger. Monopolies started to rise and self-made millionaires were now on every corner. However, the Progressives kept pushing with the Populist’s ideals and beliefs fueling their protests, and eventually made some headway. Many major events come out of this period known today as the Progressive Era. The Prohibition helped to reduce crime in corruption. Better healthcare and aid was provided to the poor and homeless. Hygiene in America became better and the nation started to prosper

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