Industrialism
and the Progressive Response
27 September 2004 (Lecture
#14)
o
Main
Theme: Concepts
o
Liberalism:
Nationalist; Civil Liberties; Limited Gov. with Constitution; Secular;
Progressive; Representative Gov.
o
Industrialism:
Prosperous; Urban
o
Judeo-Christian
Values
o
Steel
– stronger, less heavy, flexible
§
Railroads
are key to US dominance in steel
§
Allowed
transportation and the railroads being built increase steel demand which give
steel a jumpstart
o
Electricity
– light; very efficient and cleaner than oil
o
Chemical
– acid etching, fertilizer, etc.
o
Professional
management emerges – white-collar class
o
Competition
grows (areas overlapped) – scale of production grows dramatically
o
Scientific
Management – do everything possible to minimize inefficiencies
o
Participation
in and lobbying the government grows
o
75%
intended to make money and go home (about 40% did)
o
Expansion
west could only go so fast
o
Wealthiest
1% own 51% of the land
o
Labor
organizations formed – successful because they are peaceful and do not have a
huge economic impact
§
Drops
off during the depression (those out of work willing to take any job)
§
Violence
begins as strikers try to prevent scabs from working
o
Roosevelt
elected to reform the business – worker relationship
o
Woodrow
– aggressive social reforms instead of regulating big business
Conclusions