Populists and Progressives The American Reform Tradition

Populists and Progressives The American Reform Tradition

Main Ideas l l l Populists and Progressives were part of longer tradition of reform Tradition of association – Tocqueville Shared belief that humans could understand change society for the better Reform could take many shapes, small “p” progressive, radical, and right-wing Different methods and goals of reform efforts

Tradition of Association and Reform l l l Populists and Progressives were part of much longer tradition of American association and reform Tocqueville: Americans associate, form groups for common interests, more than Europeans Previous reform movements: abolition, women’s rights, utopian settlements, labor, temperance, socialists

Populists, 1880 s and 1890 s l l l Primarily midwestern and southern farmers Built on tradition of farmer-labor reform Built on yeoman tradition, republican beliefs Previous or overlapping groups formed basis for local PP support : the Grange, Farmers Alliance, both worked for farmers’ interests Like Henry George and Knights of Labor, believed producers were rightful beneficiaries of economy: “Wealth belongs to him who creates it” (1892 PPP)

Populists defended the producers – workers and farmers against “the moneyed classes” They criticized the negative aspects of the new industrial economy They celebrated past economy of small producers, people who maintained independence

Populist Beliefs and Reforms l l l Document, People’s Party Platform, 1892: Problem: Grievances against railroads (unfair rates for shipping crops, monopoly) Reform: nationalize railroads, “owned and operated by the government in the interest of the people” Problem: Eastern banking interests (controlled govt. and politcal parties, farmers’ debts to buy farms, seeds, supplies) Reform: coin silver money, expand money supply, cause deflation, make it easier to pay off debts Reform: graduated income tax; tax wealthy to pay for projects to benefit producers

William Jennings Bryan – People’s Party/Democratic Party Presidential Candidate “Cross of Gold” speech (transcript and audio)

Populist Beliefs and Reforms (continued) l l l Problem: Lack of political power to get what they wanted b/c of corruption and established parties Reforms: civil service reform, secret ballot, initiative and referendum to more easily pass popular legislation, one-term limit for Pres. and VP, election of Senators, formed own third-party Problem: low wages and competition for land jobs Reform: support unions, 8 -hour day, restrict immigration, restrict alien ownership of land Problem: Boom and bust economy, price fluctuations of crops on world market Reform: build cooperative or govt. crop storage – crops could be stored until prices rose

Impact of Populists l l l Many of the reforms they advocated eventually became law A major factor in local, state, and national politics – elected representatives on every level Failed Presidential bids – W. J. Bryan Political apparatus and ideals co-opted by Democrats – lost to Republicans in 1896, dooming Populist Party Major impact: kept small “r” republican tradition (“the producers”) alive and strong in American reform tradition Both radical and exclusionary aspects – uniters and dividers

The Progressives, 1900 s-1920 s l l Many diff. varieties of reform, hard to lump together Ranged across political spectrum from left to right, socialist to nativist Sometimes overlapping in same individuals or groups Tackled some of the biggest problems in American life: the Labor Question, Big Business, Immigration, Racial Inequality, Women’s Rights, Urban problems

Varieties of Reform l l l Anti-monopoly: anti-trust laws, T. Roosevelt, muckraker journalism to expose trusts Pro-labor: support for unions, workman’s comp. , safety in workplace Pro-immigrant: Hull House, unions, pro-citizenship Anti-immigrant: Immigration Restriction, 1924 Women’s rights: suffrage (19 th Amend. ), higher wages for women workers, protecting women workers – arguments for equality and difference, deserved protection b/c diff. than men)

Varieties of Reform (continued) l African American Civil Rights l l Anti-lynching: Ida B. Wells, journalism, political pressure W. E. B. Du. Bois: talented tenth will lead way, prove equality NAACP founded in 1909 – political equality Booker T. Washington: start with lower-skilled trades and jobs to earn a living, gain respect, before fighting for political rights or equality

Varieties of Reform (continued) l Political and government reform l l democratic – referendum, initiative, direct election of Senators (17 th Amend. , 1912) undemocratic – usually based on distrust of people or racism l l l Plessy vs. Ferguson, 1896, upheld Jim Crow, separate and unequal public accommodations Successful efforts to take away black vote: poll tax, literacy tests, grandfather clauses city managers – experts should run cities (unelected)

Varieties of Reform (continued) l Conservation Movement: against waste of natural resources; national parks; preservation of wild areas for production of masculine males l l Gifford Pinchot, conservationist: management of federal lands for “the greatest good of the greatest number in the long run” – managed use John Muir, preservationist: preserve wild areas T. Roosevelt, tended towards conservation, but also added National Parks and wild areas to fed. lands All of them were opposed by those who believed that unused lands were wasted and that fed. govt. shouldn’t control lands

Long-range Impact of Reform l l Populists and many Progressives called for increased fed. govt. involvement in economy WWI needs reaffirmed fed. govt. power Many Progressive ideas became part of New Deal Section, race, class, and gender, divided and weakened reform movements

Major Events and Issues of Progressive Era

Video Links l l l PBS, American Experience, Triangle Fire HBO, Triangle: Remembering the Fire, March 21, 2011 You. Tube Triangle Fire Documentary

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, NYC, March 25, 1911 Web Link Cornell Site: Garment Work and Protest Before Fire 146 NYC garment workers, mostly young women, died during fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory

Many women jumped from windows when they could not escape through locked fire escapes.

NYC morgue was too small to hold all of the victims, so temporary morgue was set up at a city pier. Family filed past victims to identify them.

Critics and Reformers l l l l What kind of problems needed to be solved? Workplace safety Immigrant rights Women’s rights Labor rights Political reform Economic system

Progressive Reform & the Triangle Fire From To 1909 ILGWU Strikers Difference? Post-Fire Investigations

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, 1911 New Deal-era mural commemorating the Triangle Fire and victims – connection between Progressive and New Deal issues and reform efforts History of the Needlecraft Industry (1938), by Ernest Feeney, High School of Fashion and Industry. A mural commissioned by the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGW)

Videos l Stephen Colbert, Taco Bell Beef – The Jungle