muckrakers and other progressives-U.S. late 1800s

In writing about the muckrakers and the other progressives who sought to effect social change at the turn of the 20th century, it is important to note the nature of that change. Most progressives actually believed in the United States social system and its extensions into areas of finance, industrialization, sanitation, and more that Progressives were concerned about during this era. They simply wanted to fix these things, rather than completely overhaul them or set up new social systems and institutions. To that end, muckrakers and other progressives effectively wrought social change by working within and with the current system. They created action at the federal, state and local levels by disseminating information and motivating people to action that sought to help the weaker elements of the country -- those that were exploited by big business and industry, and many of the other developments...
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