American Reformers 1870-1920 - Progressives In Word And Deed

Abstract

This book is a collection of twelve biographical essays dealing with major figures of American social, political, and economic reform in the period 1870-1920. Arranged in chronological order and rooted in secondary sources, these essays include well-known reformers such as Lester Frank Ward, Jane Addams, and Walter Rauschenbusch, as well as lesser known reformers such as Charles W. Macune, Harvey W. Wiley, and John Randolph Haynes. In discussing the contributions made by these individuals, Piott transcends the traditional late nineteenth and early twentieth-century divisions between Populism and Progressivism; instead, he develops a comprehensive political and economic framework that not only underscores the excesses of industrial capitalism but also outlines a framework for amelioration. To this end, Piott identifies three commonalities among reformers.