It seems to many people that no matter who you vote for they end up doing the same thing as their political rivals. This has caused a disenchantment with the political process as it stands and often the call for "reform" can be heard from public opinion. So what causes this seemingly "compromise" of political values from those we trust to represent us? The answer is "Progressivism."
"Progressivism" is a populist idealism that favors government intervention towards protecting the public interest. Progressives see themselves as "champions" of government in opposition to the "Economic Elite" that are entrenched in politics. They do not believe themselves to fall on either the right or left of the political spectrum, but are favored by both "Conservatives" and "Liberals" that oppose the greed of the Economic Elite. Unfortunately their self-image is false. What progressives have essentially done is to move the "center" of the political spectrum left, stating conservatism is right of center and liberalism to the left. Therefore the claim can be made that progressivism falls on both side of the spectrum when in fact it is moved very far left. Although it is true that they strongly oppose "Economic Elitism," they just as strongly support "Academic Elitism."
Before 1890 the principle political positions in the United States were "Classic Liberalism," and "Conservatism." Both these views supported limited government, and opposed government intrusion into business and day to day life. With the rapid expansion of industrialization, and the publicity of the muckrakers, concerns grew about overpopulated urban centers, mass poverty, and worker abuse. Support for ideas such as "social justice" began to blossom and belief that government could provide such concepts became more accepted, and thus the "Progressive Movement' was born.
As quickly as these ideas took hold of the mass public, they were face with division within the movement. Many proponents supported "socialism" and believed that the government should control the means of production, while others believed that government regulation was the right path. This lack of direction for the early movement initially slowed the growth of it's influence, but public opinion remained strong for social reform. As the 19th century came to a close, progressivism was about to surge into the forefront of history, with the beginning of the Progressive Era.
Part II on March 9, 2010
Sources:
http://www.u-s-history.com/index.html
Wikipedia
Dictionary.com
Progressive Living
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