Similarities Between Populism And The Progressive Party

Populism and Progressivism were two very important movements in US history, that occurred during the outbreaks of the workers union after the civil war. These movements led to the formation of the Populist party in 1892 and the Progressive party in 1912. While there are many similarities between the two movements, they are also very different. The two parties fought for very similar things. For example, the improvement of working conditions in America. At the time, working conditions were very poor, and the workers were paid very little. Since there were not any regulations employers were able to over work there employees. Even children were being over worked, but they needed to, otherwise their families could not eat. Both parties focused on the reformation and modernization of

The party was formed in 1912 by the urban middle class, who were displeased with all of the corruption in politics. This party was very successful at achieving what the Populists could not. They succeeded at getting laws passed to restrain immigration, set up a postal savings banks, limiting work days to eight-hours, and set up an initiative, referendum, and recall. The Progressives also had several amendments passed, the sixteenth, allowing for the graduated income tax, the seventeen, enforcing the direct primary that was passed by the Populists, the eighteenth, staring the prohibition on alcohol, and the nineteenth, allowing everyone to vote regardless of their gender. Much of the Progressives success was due to muckrakers. Muckrakers were people that became upset by politics and wanted to expose the corruption to America. Famous muckrakers included, Ida Tarbell, Jacob Riis, Lincoln Steffens, and Upton Sinclair, who is the author of The Jungle, a book about the unsanitary conditions in meatpacking plants, leading to food regulations and ultimately the establishment of the FDA, which is very