How Has World War I Helped The Progressive Political Agenda

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World War I helped the Progressive political agenda from these three reasons. First, the progressives during that time said that the war offered the possibility of reforming American society along with scientific lines, instilling a sense of national unity, self- sacrifice, and expanding social justice (America and the Great War). Secondly, World War I made the national government much powerful than it had ever been, and one of the main factors is when Congress passed the Selective Service Act in 1917. And finally the last reason is that the war introduced the most penetrating domination of civil liberties that the United States have been introduced to in the past. What lead the United States into the war was that the United States has declared …show more content…

“War is the health of the state.” Bourne argues that war so blurs the lines separate the State from Government and from society that the lines virtually disappear in the minds of most people (McElroy). World War I made the national government much more authoritative that than it never been, one of the main factors that gave the national government the opportunity to so was the Selective Service Act in which Congress passed in May of 1917, which it was required men in a certain age group to be drafted into the war 2.8 million men were conscripted into the various branches of the U.S. Military. Another two million men volunteered – many of the latter reasoning they would be drafted anyway. A total fighting force of 4.3 million men was raised (The Selective Service Act of 1917). This really gave the national government and President Woodrow Wilson the power of doing something and the Selective Service Act made millions men join the war and made a huge contribution to the Great War. The government also commanded control of much of the economy to get the country ready to fight by creating new agencies to regulate industry, transportation, labor relations, and agriculture. The war industries board took charge of all elements of the war time production by setting