Progressivism and its Predecessors essays

Progressivism and its Predecessors essays Progressivism, Jacksonianism, and Jeffersonianism were all ideals that ran on the platform of a government for the people. In line with this central platform, all three ideals opposed big business, supported social reform, and were discriminatory in one way or another. These policies were different however in the governments role in how to combat certain evils. Progressivism, Jeffersonianism, and Jacksonianism all strongly opposed big businesses. They felt that the monopolists would to corrupt the government if given the chance to. Roosevelt represented progressivism in calling for the destruction of large trusts that tried to corrupt the government. Jackson and the Democrats fought for personal rights against government and big business but did so less avidly than in Roosevelts time because of the lack of urgency. Jackson did not face the industrialists that Roosevelt was forced to face. Jefferson didnt have to face the fierce industrialists that Roosevelt faced either but he still had a deep hatred for big business. Jeffersons opposition to big business was founded in his agrarian ideals and the fear that big business and urbanites would fuel revolution. Even though they varied in degree, all three policies aimed for the well being of the people by attempting to destroy the corruption of the peoples government by monopolies. Ideals of reform were found in the Progressive, Jeffersonian, and Jacksonian types of government. They called for a large social reform to benefit the common people and ensure the role of government for the public good. Jefferson however just used the guise of reform to get his own people into office through the Spoils system as opposed to the Progressives who called for real reform. The Progressive movement led the nation in the right direction in regard to social and political reform. Even though Jeffersonians, Jacksonians, and Progressives all claimed to be reformists for the...