HIST 2402 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Lincoln Steffens, Hull House, Upton Sinclair
4 Feb 2017
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Progressivism > a largely urban, middle class response to the social chaos unleashed by rapid industrialization and urbanization led to a re-evaluation of classical liberal principles that had argues for a small state to maximize private liberty. The progressive era (c. 1896-1920) did not help liberate african americans. Growing anxiety among middle class americans about class conflict, urban decay, political corruption. Attraction to the technological benefits of the new order. Needed a way to control capitalism"s positive social effects without destroying it. Liberalism of laissez-faire social darwinism: liberty, but not equality, inequality is the outcome of liberty, gospel of wealth. Reform liberalism and christian socialism: humans create their own environments through cooperation, equality is a precondition to liberty, social gospel, argued laissez-faire led toward violence. Progressivism began as a municipal reform movement. What we call progressive liberalism was first a rejection of the classical liberalism of the 19th century (laissez-faire)
