Thinking about Progress

I would define progress as the ability to improve upon the ideas or notions that currently exist. Progress is relative to the person and the subject that is in question. Only one involved can understand and determine progress. The Progressive Era article published on Kahn Academy cites that the "Progressive movement arose as a response to negative effects of industrialization. The Progressive Era took place from 1890 to 1920. According to an article published by The George Washington University, the Era, more commonly described as "Progressivism" started as a "social movement and grew into a political movement." Their goals were to "expose the evils of corporate greed, combat the fear of immigrants, and urge citizens to ponder what democracy meant." Many of them wanted to "regulate business practices, address health hazards, and improve working conditions" as stated by Digital History. In addition, they pushed for the public to have direct control over the government, in terms of electing government officials, and a "recall for woman suffrage." Many progressives were interested in "economic, political, social, and moral reform."

1. Essential goals worth striving for/Necessary changes:
address health hazards
suppress red-light districts
2. Good goals:
combat fear of immigrants
improve working conditions
public's ability to elect government officials
call to attention to exploitation of child labor
end lynching
3. Strange goals:
urge for citizens to better understand democracy
4. Not a good idea: