Question

How did Theodore Roosevelt advance the progressive agenda?

Answer 1

The Progressive Era is considered to be the period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States which is believed to have spanned the 1890s to the 1920s.

The objectives or the agenda of the progressive moment was to address the issues or problems relating to or caused by industrialization, migration, urbanization and political corruption. During the early 20th century, the United States increasingly became an industrialized society. Progressive reformers felt a need to have federal government regulation relating to social, economic and political issues. The Progressives were aimed at fixing social, economic and political problems.

After William Mckinley was shot dead in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt became the President. Roosevelt was open to Progressive calls to reform and bringing the progressive issues at the national level. Roosevelt’s activist political agenda resulted in expansion of the role of the presidency and also increased the regulation of economic affairs by the Government. Theodore Roosevelt very easily won the re-election in 1904 and considered his victory as a directive from the people of America, to push his Progressive agenda.

Theodore Roosevelt’s Presidency was considered to be a driving force in favour of the Progressive movement in the United States in the early 20^th century. He strived to reunite labour and business through the Progressive Legislation. Antitrust became an inhabitant of Roosevelt and around 40 companies were sued under his administration, for using illegal methods to form monopolies.

Roosevelt’s Square Deal represented his approach to domestic reform. The Square Deal was based on 3 C’s ; Conservation of natural resources, consumer protection and control of corporations. This deal supposedly was to protect both labour and business and to ease the both to reach a compromise. Roosevelt also ended up breaking large monopolies.

Food industry was also taken under scrutiny during this period. Tainted and mislabeled food was reported to protect the health of the consumers.

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