The progress improved the financial standing in the world and our economic interests. The businessmen worked right beside the politicians so that they would get their way. Kolko states how the business men and politicians worked together for the benefit of big businesses, "The business and political elites knew each other, went to the same schools, belonged to the same clubs, married into the same families, and also shared the same values"(Kolko, 31). Kolko goes on to say that the big business men were the Progressives. The main goal of the Progressive businessmen was to direct the progressivism to political capitalism, stability, predictability, security, and rationalization in the economy. Compared to the big businessmen the small business owners were against the big business reforms to eliminate the competition because they could not keep up with the high standards. Overall, Kolko says "Progressivism was not the triumph of small business over the trusts, but the victory of big businesses in achieving the rationalization of the economy that only the federal government could provide.".
Glenda Elizabeth Gilmore clearly states that she thinks the Progressives during the Progressive Era are the African American women. Gilmore stated, "Black women fought back after disfranchisement by adapting progressive programs to their own purposes, even while they chose tactics that left them invisible in the political process." As reported by Glenda Gilmore, the generation of the African American women emerged in the 1890s to become diplomats to the white community after their husband, brothers, and fathers were deprived. The African American women would try to obtain jobs for their husbands, brothers, and sons. While, the white women wanted to obtain jobs from their husbands, brothers, and sons. African American women seemed invisible to society and they ultimately used that to their advantage by constructing social service and social institutions that would be able to remain hidden and not threatening to whites.
