History: The Progressive Movement

The Progressive Era was a movement from the late 19th century to the early 20th century where many people in the United States tried to reform political, social, and economic injustices. This might sound like a good thing, but most of the movement was filled with corruption and ulterior motives. The Progressive movement was not entirely clean; while there were selfless reformers, many reformers only wanted reform if it suited them. Using the historical interpretations of George Mowry, Joseph Huthmacher, and James J. Connolly, I will explain who the progressives were and what their reformed society entailed. I will also state what historian is most persuasive and why. The identity of the progressives has been defined by each historian differently.

George Mowry uses a quote from a Democratic Progressive to describe their reformed society. He quotes, “‘There is nothing ethical about the labor movement’” (Mowry 261). Mowry says that Progressives wanted a society without unions. The quote he used also said that unions were just as bad as industrial monopolies. Even though reformers wanted to improve the conditions of the average working men, they were more prone to aid the corporate monopolies. Joseph Huthmacher contradicts Mowry when he states, “[..]indicates the basis for urban lower-class interest in the many types of social welfare and labor measures” (Huthmacher 13). He says that because the lower-class was mostly immigrants they did not care about the politics of the United States of America. The ideal society for reformers in Huthmacher’s eyes was a society where the blue collar workers were treated as equals to the white collar ones. They wanted there to be no visible line between rich and poor. James Connolly believes that the progressives were Irish, Italian, and Jewish peoples. So it makes sense that he believed that these people wanted a society that favored them. Interestingly, he writes, “[...]many ethnic leaders found in Progressivism and its assault on city politics an formula with which to pursue their own ends” (Connolly 172). Connolly believes that ethnic leaders were only trying to benefit themselves through the facade of Progressivism. Each historian described the progressive’s reformed society