Progressive Reforms in Our Government (Essay Sample)

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Progressive Reforms in Our Government
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Jane Addams born in the year 1860 was part of the first generation of women who got educated up to college level in America. One of the things that frustrated her was the lack of opportunities for women seeking professional careers. In 1889, Jane Addams founded the Hull House settlement. She was inspired by reformers she met in England during her career. She dedicated her life improving the lives of the poor through education, social science research and political action. Her ideas are best understood through her essay “The Subjective Necessity of Social Settlements” from her book “Hull-House” published in 1892 to put forth the ides of humility and cultivating young people who have no outlet for active faculties.
The Subjective Necessity of Social Settlements
The issues she addresses at the times can be largely associated to issues in current social structures. This essay presents a variety of social progressivism principles that can be applied in modern world to address similar issues. Progressivism is usually tied to the modern freedom principles and the welfare of the state which in itself holds that transforming a society can be achieved through centralizing the government that has enough power to remake the ideals of a society. Some of the elements that represent progressivism are for instance, including a society in the war against poverty among others that are geared towards the wellness of a society. However, critics of the progressive movements argue that these reforms do not account for consequences that are not intended. They further cite that the movements are based on misunderstanding of human conditions and also fail to acknowledge the evils of the world. Jane propagated a variety of progressivism principles through her deeds. Her principles can be best understood if we understand the motive of her subjective necessity for social settlements as based on conviction rather than emotions.
Elements offering insight into the principles of progressivism
First of all, the movement was based on the principle of desiring to make the entire social organism democratic and to spread it beyond political realms. Together with others explored the liberty in human societies by observing how the young people in the society are socialized towards democracy. Jane first addressed the situation with the American young people. She says that, young people have no recognized outlet for their active faculties. They hear constantly of the great social maladjustment, but no way is provided for them to change it, and their uselessness hangs about them heavily (Addams, 1930). By this, she perceives at democracy as a system that has made very little effort towards addressing issues in social affairs. Further, it argues that we are still holding to the ideas that were held by men in the earlier centuries who believed that political equality was enough to guarantee good to all men. Many instances of acts of democracy are highlighted in some deeds that are deemed democratic even though they do not seem to solve the issue of social affairs. For instance, the suffrage of women and the peaceful resolution of international conflicts were some of the few democratic endorsements by the movement. These actions do not however resolve the issues that are considered to be the core issues. In reality, they only address the consequences of the issues. Thus as observed, they do not address issues in the social perspective rather in the democratic realms. The social structure is to a large extent broken down into different entities where some are living very poor and a majority with no leisure or energy for anything recreational. They rather live in system of sustenance moving from one wretched social system to another (The Subjective Necessity of Social Settlements par 1).
The second perspective is the desire to share with and bring accumulated social services to and social energy to portions of the society that have little. Basically, the claim here is that most social groups had never had massive social advantages thus; they do not necessarily need them. In assumption, only political philanthropy can change them. This is one of the concepts that usually stratify a society between the affluent group and the poor social group. Jane’s movement targeted at creating a society that would have a narrower gap for the two groups. Through teaching social sciences and providing education, the movement would enable the young aged to grow to be independent.
The last aspect is connected with Christianity’s perspective towards humanism. In this aspect, she argues that there is a desire to share the lives of the poor, the desire to make social service, irrespective of propaganda, express the spirit of Christ, is as old as Christianity itself. This aspect claims that for Christianity to be revealed in social progressivism, it should be done on the simple outcome of the proposition that man’s deeds are largely connected to the way he interacts with his fellows. By the simplicity of this principle, the movement formed a strong and enthusiastic concept of help towards humanity. Many things can be attributed towards Christianity and humanism for instance the early Christians did not preach the end of the world neither did they tear temples. Rather, they sacrificed themselves for the weak, the children and the aged people in the society. Such actions are to be embraced by the movement for towards its goodness to the society (The Subjective Necessity of Social Settlements par 4).
Connection between the primary and secondary sources
The principle of progressivism can also be traced in modern democracies and social help groups. For instance in understanding the role of the government and the expectations the citizens have of the government. There has always been the question of government’s contribution to freedom of the people with some arguing that more intervention by the government will bring more freedom to the people. Through the principle of progressivism, we explore the contribution of a government towards people’s freedom.
Sometimes, democratic governments can violate the rights of citizens. Several incidences can be pointed where such governments have deliberately violated citizens’ rights. Another issue that is of concern is who comes to the rescue of people when the government violates the rights of citizens? When this happens, it’s other concerned citizens that use another part of the government – usually the court – to stop the other part of the government from violating the rights and freedoms of the people. Organizations like American Civil Liberty may be formed by citizens to protect from the freedoms and rights violation by the government (Government Is Good par 1).
Ideas and practices of progressive era reformers.
Basing the government’s role on the first aspect of Jane’s movement of desire to make social and democratic change; the government is expected not only to create equality in political realms but also have a significant effect on the social lives of the citizens. The government should strive to eliminate social strata that continually widen the gap between the rich and the poor. Through such initiatives, the young population that Jane claims to have no knowledge of what to do will have at least a bases of what they are supposed to do in order to develop themselves.
This young life, so sincere in its emotion and good phrase and yet so undirected, seems to me as pitiful as the other great mass of destitute lives (Addams, 1930).
In line with the second aspect, to share with and bring accumulated social ...