Progressivism (United States)
- Progressivism emerged in the early 20th century as a reform movement that sought to address the problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, and corruption.
- Reformers like Theodore Roosevelt, Jane Addams, and Woodrow Wilson promoted government regulation of business, labor rights, social justice, and women’s suffrage.
- The Progressive movement helped establish antitrust laws, child labor restrictions, and public health reforms, but it often excluded minorities and reinforced racial segregation.
Manifest Destiny and Expansionism
- The ideology of Manifest Destiny, which had justified westward expansion in the 19th century, evolved into U.S. imperialism by the late 1800s. This supported overseas expansion in places like Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippines after the Spanish–American War (1898).
- It reflected a belief in American exceptionalism and racial superiority, linking national power to divine purpose. This idea shaped U.S. foreign policy and justified intervention across Latin America under the Monroe Doctrine and Roosevelt Corollary.
Liberalism and Nationalism in Latin America
- Liberalism dominated 19th-century Latin America, emphasizing free trade, secular education, and individual rights, but often favored elites over Indigenous and rural populations.
- Nationalism began rising in the early 20th century, promoting unity and pride in national identity. In Mexico, the Revolution (1910–1920) fueled nationalist movements that sought to reclaim land, culture, and sovereignty from foreign and domestic elites.
- Nationalist ideologies often mixed with cultural revival, especially “indigenismo,” which celebrated Indigenous heritage as central to national identity.
Definition
Indigenismo
A political and cultural movement in early twentieth-century Latin America that celebrated Indigenous heritage and called for greater recognition and inclusion of Indigenous peoples in national identity and policy.
Positivism and Modernization
- Positivism, derived from the ideas of French philosopher Auguste Comte, became influential among Latin American elites, especially in Brazil and Mexico.
- It promoted the belief that scientific reasoning and order would lead to progress, justifying strong centralized governments that could modernize “backward” societies.
- While it encouraged technological development and education reform, it also reinforced authoritarianism and social hierarchies, marginalizing Indigenous and working-class populations in the name of “progress.”
Social Darwinism and Racial Hierarchies
- Social Darwinism applied Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution to human societies, suggesting that competition between races and nations was natural and desirable.
- It was used to justify imperialism, racial segregation, and eugenics, influencing both U.S. immigration policies (like the Immigration Act of 1924) and Latin American attempts to “improve” populations through European immigration and racial mixing policies.
Definition
Social Darwinism
A theory that applied Charles Darwin’s ideas of natural selection to human societies, used to justify racial hierarchy, imperialism, and economic inequality.
Case study
The Ku Klux Klan (Reconstruction and the 1920s Revival)
The First Klan (1860s–1870s)
- Founded in Tennessee (1866) by former Confederate soldiers, the Klan used terror and violence (including lynching, arson, and intimidation) to restore white control and undermine Reconstruction governments.
- It targeted freed African Americans, white Republicans, and Northern reformers, aiming to prevent Black voting and civil rights.
- Federal enforcement acts (1870–1871) briefly suppressed the group, though racial violence continued under other names.
The Second Klan (1915–1930s)
- Revived in 1915 amid the rise of nativism and xenophobia, inspired partly by the film The Birth of a Nation.
- This Klan expanded beyond the South, claiming to defend “Americanism” and Protestant values while targeting African Americans, immigrants, Catholics, Jews, and radicals.
- At its peak in the mid-1920s, it had over 4 million members and significant political influence in several states before internal corruption and public backlash led to its decline.
Legacy
- The Klan became a symbol of organized racism and intolerance, illustrating how economic and social upheaval could fuel extremist movements.
- Its methods and ideology left a lasting legacy of racial violence and discrimination that persisted well into the twentieth century.
Nativism and Racial Exclusion
- Nativism means the preference for native-born citizens over immigrants. It grew in response to mass migration and cultural change, particularly in the U.S. during the early 20th century.
- Nativist sentiment fueled movements like the Ku Klux Klan and restrictive laws such as the Immigration Acts of 1917 and 1924, which targeted southern Europeans, Asians, and other non-“Anglo-Saxon” groups.
- In Latin America, nativism sometimes took the opposite form: elites promoted European immigration to “modernize” the population, revealing the contradictions of racial and national identity in the region.
Case study
Nativism in the United States (Late 19th–Early 20th Century)
- Origins and Context
- Nativism in the United States emerged in response to the mass immigration waves between 1880 and 1920, when over 20 million immigrants arrived seeking work and opportunity.
- Rapid urbanization, labor competition, and cultural differences fueled fears among native-born Americans that newcomers threatened jobs, political stability, and “American values.”
- Ideological Foundations
- Nativist attitudes were rooted in Social Darwinism and racial hierarchies, portraying Anglo-Saxon Americans as superior and depicting immigrants, especially Catholics and Jews, as biologically and culturally inferior.
- These ideas linked national identity to race, language, and Protestantism, shaping immigration debates and broader definitions of “true” American citizenship.
- Key Organizations and Movements
- Nativism was institutionalized through groups like the American Protective Association (1887) and the Ku Klux Klan (revived in 1915), both of which promoted anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic ideologies.
- These organizations influenced local politics and mobilized around ideas of racial purity, patriotism, and moral order, often using violence or intimidation against minority communities.
- Political Outcomes and Legislation
- Nativist pressure led to restrictive laws such as the Immigration Act of 1917, introducing literacy tests, and the Immigration Act of 1924 (Johnson–Reed Act), which imposed national origin quotas favoring northern and western Europeans.
- Asian immigration was completely banned, while immigration from southern and eastern Europe was drastically reduced, reflecting racial bias disguised as national security and economic protectionism.
Common Mistake
- Treating ideologies in isolation: failing to show how they interacted (e.g., how positivism influenced nationalism, or how Social Darwinism shaped nativism).
- Ignoring regional variation, such as differences between U.S. progressivism and Latin American liberalism.
- Overlooking contradictions, like how liberal and progressive ideals coexisted with racism, exclusion, and imperialism.
Exam technique
- Compare ideologies across regions : highlight contrasts between U.S. reform movements and Latin American modernization philosophies.
- Use key figures and examples : Roosevelt for progressivism, Díaz for positivism, Vasconcelos for indigenismo.
- Show cause and consequence : explain how these ideologies both promoted modernization and justified inequality.
Self review
- Examine the causes of the rise of nativism in the United States between 1880 and 1924.
- Assess the impact of nativist ideologies on immigration policies and national identity in the early 20th century.
- To what extent did nativism reflect broader social and economic anxieties associated with modernization and industrialization in the Americas?
