Political Groups in the Late 19th and Early 20th...

Americans were not aware of the division among populists and progressivists during the late 19th and early 20th centuries yet they were aware of the division between Democrats and Republicans. Populism referred to a particular political style, which expressed alienation and aggression and tend to hate Wall Street and bank interests. Progressivism was a movement of the college-educated urban middle class, which valued expertise and efficiency and favored government regulation and foreign affairs. The populists began during the late 1800s.The progressive began during the 1900s. There are many differences between these two movements, but yet these movements have many things that are similar. Farmers united to protect their interests, even†¦show more content†¦The progressives believed that if given a chance the majority of voters would elect honest respectable officials unlike those elected by the corrupt political machine but to do this they needed people to vote. So they comp iled numerous methods for increasing the participation of the average citizen in political decisions. The secret ballot box, by using the method adopted by the Australians the voter would not be manipulated by the political party that would affect a voters decision by standing next to a ballot box and intimidating him or her. The progressive governor of Wisconsin Robert La Follete introduced the method of direct primaries in which the majority vote would elect the party candidates for the state and federal offices. This method was used to try to minimize the power of political bosses to try to keep the corrupt officials from gaining office once again. The direct election of state senators was also a plus for the progressives for many years the senators had been selected by the vote of the state legislature. The corrupt state legislature would then of course vote for the corrupt official for senate. After a while the senate begun to look like a club for the rich man. In 1913 the seve nteenth amendment required all that all U.S senators be elected by the popular vote. By calling for Initiative, referendum, and recall the Progressives allowed by initiative to take part in the process of having a