Type of paper:
Essay
Topic:
Journalism, Politics, Society, Belief, Reforms, Investigation, Public, Came
Pages: 2
Words: 350
Published: 2020/02/16
During the first half of the 20th century, USA was riddled with political and economic injustices, perpetrated by the political class and big businesses. For instance, malfeasance was rife in municipal governments and big corporations pursued their activities unchecked. Pushed by the desire to expose the ills in the American society, reform-minded investigative journalists swung into action and unearthed some of most serious dirty tricks.
For example, Upton Sinclair published an expose of the horrifying realities of the meatpacking industry. In response to the investigative piece, Theodore Roosevelt came up with the label “muckrakers.” He ridiculed such journalists as preachers of unrest who were misleading the public. However, public opinion favored the “muckrakers “for exposing the evils and injustices in the society. As a result, similar investigative pieces of journalism came up later.
The role played by “muckrakers” proved to be crucial in shaping public opinion and in accelerating the clamor for reforms. Progressive politicians took the cue from the “muckrakers” and came up with a raft of measures aimed at addressing the prevailing social injustices. For example, the Sherman Antitrust act of 1890 increased government’s control over private businesses. In addition, the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 made it illegal for companies to offer the same products for different prices. Other legislations were enacted to set the minimum wage for workers and restrict child labor.
On the politcal front, the citizenry were given more say in determining the people to govern them. For example, citizens could now elect candidates through direct primaries, and the secret ballot was implemented to ensure privacy during voting. Without the “muckrakers” some of these reforms would not have seen the light of the day or would probably have been delayed. Nevertheless, “muckrakers” gave the progressives a voice, and for this reason, they have their place in the history of United States.
References
Hillstrom, L. C. (2012). The Muckrakers and the Progressive Era. Detroit, MI:
Omnigraphics. P. 165.
Schneider, D., & Schneider, C. J. (1993). American Women in the Progressive Era. New
York, NY : Facts On File. P. 102
Schultz, K. M. (2012). HIST. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning . P. 367.
Cite this page
Choose cite format:
- APA
- MLA
- Harvard
- Vancouver
- Chicago
- ASA
- IEEE
- AMA
WowEssays. (2020, February, 16) Example Of Essay On Role Of Muckrakers During The Progressive Era. Retrieved March 08, 2021, from https://www.wowessays.com/free-samples/example-of-essay-on-role-of-muckrakers-during-the-progressive-era/
"Example Of Essay On Role Of Muckrakers During The Progressive Era." WowEssays, 16 Feb. 2020, https://www.wowessays.com/free-samples/example-of-essay-on-role-of-muckrakers-during-the-progressive-era/. Accessed 08 March 2021.
WowEssays. 2020. Example Of Essay On Role Of Muckrakers During The Progressive Era., viewed March 08 2021, <https://www.wowessays.com/free-samples/example-of-essay-on-role-of-muckrakers-during-the-progressive-era/>
WowEssays. Example Of Essay On Role Of Muckrakers During The Progressive Era. [Internet]. February 2020. [Accessed March 08, 2021]. Available from: https://www.wowessays.com/free-samples/example-of-essay-on-role-of-muckrakers-during-the-progressive-era/
"Example Of Essay On Role Of Muckrakers During The Progressive Era." WowEssays, Feb 16, 2020. Accessed March 08, 2021. https://www.wowessays.com/free-samples/example-of-essay-on-role-of-muckrakers-during-the-progressive-era/
WowEssays. 2020. "Example Of Essay On Role Of Muckrakers During The Progressive Era." Free Essay Examples - WowEssays.com. Retrieved March 08, 2021. (https://www.wowessays.com/free-samples/example-of-essay-on-role-of-muckrakers-during-the-progressive-era/).
"Example Of Essay On Role Of Muckrakers During The Progressive Era," Free Essay Examples - WowEssays.com, 16-Feb-2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.wowessays.com/free-samples/example-of-essay-on-role-of-muckrakers-during-the-progressive-era/. [Accessed: 08-Mar-2021].
Example Of Essay On Role Of Muckrakers During The Progressive Era. Free Essay Examples - WowEssays.com. https://www.wowessays.com/free-samples/example-of-essay-on-role-of-muckrakers-during-the-progressive-era/. Published Feb 16, 2020. Accessed March 08, 2021.
Copy
Share with friends using:
We accept sample papers from students via the submission form. If this essay belongs to you and you no longer want us to display it, you can put a claim on it and we will remove it. Just fill out the removal request form with all necessary details, such as page location and some verification of you being a true owner. Please note that we cannot guarantee that unsubstantiated claims will be satisfied.
