Reforms During the Progressive Era in America - Essay Example

This era emerged with many critical and currently celebrated reforms in all those aspects in the 20Th period leading to many advantages and eradication of the challenges (Fishback, 288).

Government reform encompasses one of the major changes that occurred in the reform era. Robert LaFollette who was a republican governor in Wisconsin (Mintz, 2014) championed reforms in this sector. It was termed the “Wisconsin idea” and it included changes such as a development of a railroad commission to control taxes, direct primaries to choose party nominees for public offices, as well as initiative and recall opportunities for the public (Fishback, 289). These reforms were important since they increased the efficiency of the government (Fishback, 289). The direct primaries allowed the public to participate in the political process and also limited the influence of city bosses in selecting their favorable personnel. The initiative device enabled the public to participate in passing proposed laws through voting and the recall device gave the public the power to remove elected officials from their position. These reforms put government officials on their toes and ensured they did their work with efficiency and transparency.

Civil rights reforms in the progressive era are very critical and their benefits are currently felt. These reforms occurred following the publication of W.E.B. Du Bois. His publication highlighted the plight of African Americans and the disparaging racism effects. Du Bois condemned the belief that African Americans could not work as manual laborers and nothing more. This publication led to the establishment of the first national civil rights movement known as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) (Mintz, 2014). This organization boasted 6,000 members by 1914 whereby it extended to establishing offices in fifty cities.

These reforms in civil rights were very important since they ensured that the rights of the colored minority were protected. Initially, the minority endured hard and forced labor, coupled with low wages as well as denial of certain necessities. They worked under brutal masters where they constantly underwent mistreatment, and assault besides tolerating disparaging livelihoods. The civil rights movement came to its rescue and worked to eliminate the slave trade. In addition, they passed a strict warning to the masters who mistreated the African American manual laborers and also ensured better employment for the minority.

Many reforms occurred during the progressive era and touched on women’s lives. The most important one is the issue of birth control, which enabled the female gender to control fertility. During the progressive era, the increased urbanization and industrialization saw an increased population. One person that championed this issue is Margaret Sanger who was once a nurse. She opened the first birth control clinic in 1916 and despite opposition from the police; she continued to advocate that women needed the right to control their ability to give birth.  She founded the Planned Parenthood organization and this eventually led to the introduction of the birth control pill in 1960 (Mintz, 2014).

This was a significant reform since it enabled women to control their fertility and hence give birth to several children that they were able to care for and provide for. This, therefore, led to improved living standards, helped eradicate poverty levels, and ensured education for all children (Fishback, 289).