Characteristics of a Progressive According to Theodore Roosevelt
In his speech “Who is a Progressive,” President Theodore Roosevelt said that “Every man who fights fearlessly and effectively against special privilege in any form is to that extent a Progressive” A progressive party or movement features are based on three major principles. These include natural resources and conservation of nature, control of corporations, and consumer protection (Filler, 2018) . The source of these principles was a domestic program by Roosevelts’s “Square Deal” that emerged during his presidency era. In 1912 national convention parties, they developed a policy platform which was based on these principles. The goals of this platform were to achieve political reforms and the publication and recording of the Congressional committee meetings. The major goal was to limit the campaigns contributions, the registration of lobbyists, granting women the voting rights, direct election of senators, environmental protection and revising the Constitution amendment process. In other words, the progressives involved the movements and parties that were making advances towards the betterment of the society between 1900 and 1917.
“ Anti-progressive” Characteristics and the Type of Activities they do Engage in
On the other hand, Roosevelt in this speech explains “Anti-progressives” or a reactionary as a person who offers support, special privilege, and support either directly or indirectly. This person is said to be a reactionary regardless of whether they are puzzle-headed or acting on malice motives, lacking interest in the subject or social sympathy. Roosevelt explains further that a reactionary person as the one who opposes social justice movements regardless of their interests or profession. Also, this person is in a high place does neither go forward nor show interest in the aforementioned movements. In other words, reactionaries tend to distrust people. The person of this character not only distrust people but rather, they want to keep them helpless in order to use them for their own gain.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Goals of Progressivism and Areas to be Addressed in Society
As derived from the speech, “Our aim is to secure the real and not the nominal rule of the people.” With this statement, progressives aim at putting to an end the intention of the government on doing for the sinister special interests and privileged, as well as frustrating the will of the citizens by separating them. As a result, people can fight from behind by pushing back the reactionaries (Roe, 2017). Roosevelt continues to explain that a Progressive person stands for social justice which includes protecting factory girls from machinery, setting a time limit to work for both women and children, and also making sure people are living under suitable conditions especially in the crowded areas in the cities. Last, progressives work for the benefits of the minority by ensuring that all people are treated equally by having equal opportunities.
Progressive Achievements of Roosevelt Speech Highlight
In his speech, he mentions the Rate Bill and how it would change all that has been achieved while controlling the great railways over the last twenty years. It is Senator Aldrich who pushed the bill out of the Senate committee (Nester, 2019) . However, the representatives promoted it with special privilege. The bill was amended by the Progressives in the Senate despite the great opposition from the Administration and reactionaries. Further, the bill was further improved by the progressives who stroke out the key features of the bill different from how it had been structured by the reactionaries. However, they made the mistake of leaving out the provision for a Commerce Court in the bill. This part was thought to be mischievous and thus, the importance of being repealed.
References
Filler, L. (2018). Muckraking and Progressivism in the American Tradition . Routledge.
Nester, W. R. (2019). Theodore Roosevelt and the Art of American Power: An American for All Time . Lexington Books.
Roe, M. (2017). Charles Bean and American progressivism. Quadrant , 61 (12), 60.
