Imperialism and Progressivism

1. Imperialism and Progressivism • By: Hannah Turner, Michelle Ross, and Anna Mongillo,

2. Question #5 Compare the goals and proposals of TR’s New Nationalism and Wilson’s New Freedom.

3. Thesis Statement During the Imperialism and progressive era, Theodore Roosevelt and Wilson thoughts pertaining to the New Nationalism and New Freedom at the time were relatively similar, but they differed on how they should be implemented.

4. The election of 1912 saw a heated battle between the third-party Progressive republican Theodore Roosevelt and democratic Woodrow Wilson. The election took place in the middle of the Progressive Movement and its importance showed: each candidates campaign hinged to appease members.

5. Theodore Roosevelt • New Nationalism was a progressive platform that Roosevelt ran on. Roosevelt wanted to protect human rights and their property. He wanted to do this by making a strong central government to regulate the money that flowed through the country. He wanted the government to regulate corporations and the general economy. He also was a fan of the unions, keeping working men, women, and children safe.

6. In the social sphere the platform called for • A National Health Service to include all existing government medical agencies. • Social insurance, to provide for the elderly, the unemployed, and the disabled. • Limited injunctions in strikes. • A minimum wage law for women. • An eight hour workday. • A federal securities commission. • Farm relief. • Workers' compensation for work-related injuries. • An inheritance tax. • A Constitutional amendment to allow a Federal income tax. • The political reforms proposed included • Women's suffrage. • Direct election of Senators. • Primary elections for state and federal nominations.

7. Woodrow Wilson The New Freedom comprises the campaign speeches and promises of Woodrow Wilson in the 1912 presidential campaign. They called for less government, but in practice as president he added new controls such as the Federal Reserve System and the Clayton Antitrust Act. More generally the "New Freedom" is associated with Wilson's first term as president (1913-1917). As President, Wilson focused on three types of reform:

8. 1. Tariff Reform: This came through the passage of the Underwood Tariff Act of 1913, which lowered tariffs for the first time since the American Civil War and went against the protectionist lobby. 2. Business Reform:This was established in 1914 through the passage of the Federal Trade Act, which established the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and halt unfair and illegal business practices by issuing "cease and desist" orders, and the Clayton Anti-Trust Act. 3. Banking Reform: This came in 1913, through the creation of the Federal Reserve System, and in 1916, through the passage of the Federal Farm Loan Act, which set up Farm Loan Banks to support farmers.

9. Conclusion New Nationalism and New Freedom had many similarities. Both obviously catered to the Progressive movement. Both were anti-big business. And both favored the rise of the "little man". The two policies differed in what means would be used to achieve these ends. Roosevelt's New Freedom proposed broad social welfare, much like that seen in the 1930's from Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Wilson violently opposed welfare, saying that the little man must be forced into competition without head starts from the government. Both favored a sort of free market for the economy: Wilson favored the pure market, Roosevelt allowed those who had losses to be given another chance.