Social Progressivism and Reform

Progressivism was a social justice movement. In contrast to the belief in a brighter more positive future, progressivism responded to a variety of economic and social problems that emerged in the late nineteenth century. In time, it became a political movement. (“The Progressives.” n.d.).

Sociologist, suffragette, social worker, philosopher, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams, in 1924 or 1926.

With industrial progress came unquestionable benefit and economic prosperity to many, but it also reinforced great economic disparity and poverty. Many in the social and political establishment saw Social Darwinism as a prescription, or even as a mandate, to seek wealth for themselves. Progressives witnessed, and sought to expose, through media, the excesses and collateral damage that came with crowded urban conditions, unsafe working conditions for children, women and men; and policies that disadvantaged the majority who were poor and disadvantaged. In the United States, they sought to open opportunity for more members of society by assuring mandatory education for children of both sexes in all states, and by seeking rights for women, including the right to vote and in some cases to own property or do business in their own name where this had not been legalized.(“The Progressives.” n.d.).

Progressives sought to improve health and sanitation standards and to impose penalties on companies that violated such standards. They worked to reduce prejudice and discrimination against resident immigrants. They promoted legislation to end corrupt business practices, ensure corporate regulatory standards to deal with corruption and end monopolies. Social reformers used news and publishing to advocate change. They marshaled unions and grass roots movements to vote in progressive legislation, believing that good government could curb the excesses of politicians, banks and businesses.(“The Progressives.” n.d.).

Social reformers such as Jane Addams created the settlement house movement in Chicago, providing human services to women, children, and immigrants. Ida Tarbell championed investigative journalism exposing the practices of Standard Oil, while Jacob Riis chronicled in photographs and text the slum conditions of New York City. Politicians such as Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt worked to regulate business and “bust” the trusts. The allies in these campaigns were comprised of women and religious reformers, union members and many grass roots organizations.(“The Progressives.” n.d.).

That story is outlined here: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/age-of-empire/v/the-progressives

Futurism

While the Renaissance, the Modern (historic) Era, and the Romantic Era looked back to the heights of Classical achievement in art and culture, those eras also began to look forward with excitement towards what new natural philosophy and new worlds would bring. The Industrial/Imperial/Progressive Era was a result of that forward-looking perspective. Places were sought that “no civilization had gone before”. What new horizons lay ahead for the wondrous results of technology and science (now identified as such) (Casden, n.d.)?

A page from FilipoTommaso Marinetti’s book “Les mots en liberté futuristes”

In the early 20th century, a group of avant-garde Italian writers and artists inspired by Filipo Tommaso Marinetti fashioned themselves “futurists”. They saw themselves as people living in a time when the world was shrinking due to the advances in communication and transportation; a time when new possibilities and new technical worlds were emerging; and a time they styled as the “Machine Age” which would bring into being a new world order and possibly a new consciousness. It was a celebration of industrialization and human progress. Soon to become a widespread movement with the publishing of Marinetti’s “futurist manifesto” it made an impact on all the arts. They were among the first to give voice to the aesthetic spirit of the age. But the impact went beyond aesthetics and cultural expressions. The theories of nature, truth, beauty and the human experience were also being critiqued  (Casden, n.d.). See Italian Futurism: A Introduction at the Khan Academy for more information.

The growth of technology gave a confidence to humans as being masters of their destiny in ways past generations could not have envisioned. The speed of technological development and way it reached into all areas of life and culture were astounding to the perceptive observer. Change and development were at hand everywhere. Progress was taking place as the old order of the rich and highborn, and the elite and privileged, were losing their status and their augmented place in the social order. Popular reforms were giving new rights, opportunities, and privileges to social classes and women that had not before been achieved. The end of the nineteenth century saw a movement toward a better future of promise and hope for many, at the expense of abundance for a few.

The dark side of this promising view was that the same means for achieving great prosperity and benefit for humanity could also be turned to hateful and destructive ends as the legacy of war, genocide and nuclear annihilation would demonstrate.