HISTO-1130 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Referendum Party, Scientific Management, Working Poor
Document Summary
Improving working, living conditions for the urban poor. Most reformers were white middle class christians. Local, state level workers focus on cleaning up government. Originally a small % of voters attend caucuses, meetings to pick convention delegates. Allows political professionals to pick best candidate. Direct primaries allow for more voters to participate in the process. Sc primary (1896) is first; by 1920 all states have it. Many resent it; risk of pushing workers too hard. Eliminate redundancy, assign responsibility, accountability of specific officials, establish clear lines of authority. Government should be run by non partisan experts. Bipartisan concern over where economic power is concentrated. Non profit charitable service organizations work to promote social justice. Clean up cities through personal hygiene, municipal sewers, public awareness campaign. Middle class white women driving force behind movement. Belief that most social problems related to alcohol abuse. Close saloons, improve prison conditions, shelter prostitutes, abused women/children, women"s suffrage.
