Progressives and Our Political System.
The progressives are a political party that was formed in 1912. During the years 1880- 1950 populists lay the groundwork for progressives. Rural people were asking help from the government. Populists create own party to get the government to help them. They cannot get subsidies but they can collateralize farm loans. However, populists were not successful. They were a minority and rural. Progressives changed our political system in many different ways; however, I believe that recall, initiative and referendum are the most important changes in our political system. .
Between 1877 and 1890 over 6 million people left farms to form big American cities. Modernized factories and steel formed jobs and urbanized America. New comers tended to be poor. Government would find them a job and get them housing and people would have to vote for what their boss wanted. Education was free but girls only attended half day because they didn't need to learn much. The boss system was totally corrupt and one-sided. City reformers and populists got together to get government to be responsive to the needs of people.
The progressives came up with some initiatives that made changes in our political system. For example, recall which is a procedure by which voters submit a petition to hold a special election to remove an elected official from office. Now people didn't have to wait until the end of a term to get an elected official out of office if they were caught being corrupt or doing something wrong. There could be a recall election by getting a petition to get signatures to recall a person and vote again to get them out of office; however, this official can win the election again and stay in office for another term. This way government becomes responsive.
Initiative and referendum go hand in hand. Referendum is when government proposes a law and they refer it to the people to vote on whether or not this law should be passed.