Economic Reform And Moral Improvements example essay topic

Progressive America? The early 1900's can also be referred as the progressive movement because of the many reforms and improvements that occurred during the era. 2005 is much like the earlier progressive movements and can be classified as a progressive era. 3 out of the 4 goals of progressivism are being practiced during the 21st century. Social welfare, economic reform, and moral improvements are still being practiced to try to improve the quality and fairness of life in the U.S. Social welfare improvements are occurring right now to try and better our country as a whole. Bush's new plan calls for standardized testing and education reforms to try and improve literacy in the U.S. much like during the 1900's when woman's groups were fighting for better education standards in schools.

In fact standardized testing was first suggested in the early 1900's to try and improve schools. Many in the 1900's were advocates for child protection such as Florence Kelly who helped establish child labor laws and set up schools. In the progressive period we first saw the salvation army and attempts to try and improve living conditions for many Americans, groups like the YMCA help build safe communities to keep kids out of trouble. In 2005 Bush recently tried to improve poverty by modernizing social security to keep retirees from going broke. Bush also plans to update Medicare provide tax relief to those who need it. Just like in the early 1900's aid groups are on the rise and have broadened there boundaries to help more people (doctors without borders, red cross, operation smile).

During the era we witnessed a climb in the birth of many of these groups but in 2005 we are seeing a rapid increase in the number of non-profit organizations much like those simpler ones we saw in the past. The need to keep children safe has also sprung to life again as it did in the progressive era the need for children to "stay of the streets" as fueled many people to open / found teen centers and other hangouts where kids can be under adult supervision. Economic reform was and is very important to the survival of this country during the progressive period and directly indicates that 2005 is a progressive era. During the progressive era economic improvements was basically just revealing corrupt companies and trying to give the workers more rights and powers. Today many groups and people have started trying to limit the powers of companies and reveal scandal, Enron robbing there customer and the Microsoft monopoly problem the government is beginning to crack down on big business' just like during the progressive era we see "Muckrakers" revealing Scandals and exposing companies in the early 1900's, today there just called investigative journalists but they are just a evolved form of the "Muckrakers". Peter Jennings and 20/20 did the same things that muckrakers did in the progressive movement.

The fight against monopolies resurfaced in 1998 and is still a issue at large, Microsoft one of the largest computer software people can be looked at as the standard oil companies 2005 counterpart. Lastly, moral improvements have always been a big issue in America and are an indicator of how today could be called "progressive America". During the early 1900's people saw improving morality of the country could change America. Then the prohibition of alcohol was a attempt to keep America sober and keep children from drinking today you could interpret the huge scale fitness craze as an attempt to improve morality, with huge food companies supporting the craze because of individuals and groups just like the WCTU. The Government support of the craze also mirrors the support of prohibition and the government banning alcohol consumption, today Bush's fitness plan requires students to meet certain requirements in running, stretching, push ups, and crunch's. Another moral improvement today is numerous restrictions on tobacco companies, this is an attempt to reduce an overweight, over indulgent country to healthy normal people.

Many independent law firms are acting as the WCTU did and fighting the large companies for compensation for tobaccos effects the firms are if they like it or not pulling apart the tobacco industry piece by piece in an attempt to stop production of cigarettes. Commercials and ads in magazines sponsored by "Truth" which warns people about tobacco and its harmful affects. This group is the modern day Carry Nation who went around scolding people and lecturing about the harmful effects of alcohol in the 1890's. Many things now directly mirror attitudes and changes that were attempted in the early 1900's. America now, in 2005 is a progressive nation. Always fighting for change America will most likely stay a progressive nation for many more years because of the people who live here.

America is constantly moving to make things equal and fair which necessitates changing which in turn forces us to have a progressive movement just like in the 1900's every decade or so..