To what extent was Wilson’s New Freedom a continuation of Theodore Roosevelt’s reforms?
Level
A Level
Year Examined
2022
Topic
The making of a Superpower: USA, 1865-1975
👑Complete Model Essay
To what extent was Wilson’s New Freedom a continuation of Theodore Roosevelt’s reforms?
To What Extent Was Wilson's New Freedom a Continuation of Theodore Roosevelt's Reforms?
Woodrow Wilson's "New Freedom" and Theodore Roosevelt's "Square Deal" stand as pivotal moments in American Progressive Era politics. While both aimed to address the burgeoning issues of industrialization, their approaches differed significantly. This essay will argue that despite some superficial similarities, Wilson's New Freedom represented a distinct departure from Roosevelt's reforms, particularly regarding their views on federal power, trusts, and social welfare.
Arguments Supporting Continuation
On the surface, both presidents appeared committed to challenging the status quo. They tackled issues like regulating business and protecting workers. Roosevelt took on powerful trusts with the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and established the Department of Commerce and Labor. Wilson continued this trend with the Federal Trade Commission in 1914. Both leaders recognized the need to curtail the unchecked power of big business.
Furthermore, Wilson adopted some of Roosevelt's progressive proposals during his presidency. A prime example is women's suffrage. While Roosevelt voiced his support, it was under Wilson's administration that the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote, was finally passed. This suggests a degree of continuity in their progressive agendas.
Additionally, Wilson's second term saw a shift towards a more interventionist approach reminiscent of Roosevelt. Facing the exigencies of World War I, Wilson embraced federal power to mobilize the nation, hinting at a potential convergence of their philosophies under specific circumstances.
Arguments Challenging Continuation
However, these similarities mask fundamental ideological differences. At the core of their approaches was a contrasting view of the role of government. Roosevelt, a pragmatist, believed in using federal power actively to regulate business and promote social justice. He envisioned a strong government acting as a mediator between competing interests. Wilson, on the other hand, campaigned on the idea of "New Freedom," aiming to limit the government's role in the economy. He believed in fostering competition by breaking up trusts, not regulating them, thereby restoring individual liberty and opportunity.
This difference is evident in their stance on social welfare. While Roosevelt championed a broad program of social reforms, Wilson remained wary of such initiatives, viewing them as potential threats to individual self-reliance. His focus remained on dismantling monopolies and promoting economic competition, not on government-led social welfare programs.
Furthermore, although both presidents agreed that economic power concentrated in trusts was detrimental, their approaches to tackling this issue diverged. Roosevelt, while not shying away from using government power to dismantle monopolies, also believed in regulating existing large corporations to ensure fairness. Wilson, however, fundamentally opposed "bigness" in any form, advocating for breaking up large corporations to restore a market dominated by smaller businesses. This difference in approach highlights the distinct philosophies underpinning their reforms.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while Wilson's New Freedom shared some superficial similarities with Roosevelt's reforms, particularly in their commitment to addressing the ills of industrialization, the differences were far more profound. Wilson's deep-seated belief in limited government, his emphasis on breaking up trusts rather than regulating them, and his reluctance towards social welfare programs set him apart from his predecessor. Ultimately, Wilson's New Freedom, rather than being a continuation, represented a distinct and significant departure from Roosevelt's more interventionist approach, marking a shift in the ideological landscape of American Progressivism.
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To What Extent Was Wilson’s New Freedom a Continuation of Theodore Roosevelt’s Reforms?
This essay will assess the extent to which Woodrow Wilson's "New Freedom" program was a continuation of Theodore Roosevelt's reforms. While both presidents sought to address the ills of industrialization and promote social justice, their approaches differed significantly in both ideology and implementation.
Arguments Supporting the View of Continuity
Shared Goal of Reform: Both Roosevelt and Wilson recognized the need to address the growing power of big business and its impact on American society. They both sought to regulate the economy and protect the interests of workers and consumers.
Building on Regulatory Reforms: Roosevelt's legacy included the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 and the establishment of the Department of Commerce and Labor. Wilson built upon this foundation by creating the Federal Trade Commission in 1914, further empowering the government to regulate unfair business practices.
Emphasis on Worker Protection: Both presidents supported policies aimed at protecting workers from exploitation. Roosevelt championed legislation like the Pure Food and Drug Act, and Wilson continued this theme, advocating for minimum wage laws and workplace safety standards.
Converging on Social Issues: While Wilson initially opposed women's suffrage, he eventually changed his stance and supported the 19th Amendment, aligning himself with Roosevelt's progressivism on this key issue.
Shifting Towards Active Intervention: In his second term, Wilson's approach to governance became more akin to Roosevelt's, with a greater emphasis on using federal power to promote social justice. He supported measures like the Clayton Antitrust Act, which further strengthened the government's ability to regulate monopolies.
Arguments Challenging the View of Continuity
Differing Ideologies: Wilson's "New Freedom" focused on a return to free competition and small business, while Roosevelt championed a broader vision of social welfare and government intervention.
Divergent Views on Social Welfare: Roosevelt advocated for a more expansive role of government in providing social services, while Wilson shied away from such measures. He believed that government intervention should be limited to regulating the economy, not directly providing social assistance.
Contrasting Approaches to Trusts: While both presidents agreed that trusts needed to be regulated, they disagreed on the methods. Roosevelt believed in more forceful government intervention to break up monopolies, while Wilson favored a more nuanced approach that emphasized fostering competition.
The Role of Federal Power: One of the most significant differences between the two presidents was their view on the role of federal government. Roosevelt embraced a more expansive vision of the federal government's power, while Wilson sought to limit its reach.
Foreign Policy Divergence: Wilson opposed Roosevelt's expansionist foreign policy, seeking to dismantle American investments abroad and pursue a more isolationist approach.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while Wilson’s "New Freedom" shared some common ground with Roosevelt's reforms, particularly in addressing the power of trusts and promoting worker rights, it ultimately diverged in significant ways. Wilson's emphasis on free competition and limited government intervention marked a distinct departure from Roosevelt's vision of a more active and socially progressive government. While building upon Roosevelt’s legacy, Wilson’s presidency represented a shift in the character and direction of American progressivism.
Extracts from Mark Schemes
Arguments supporting the view
• they both continued to try to change the status quo when it came to how government, the economy, and society operated and interacted
• they both enacted and/or supported major regulatory reforms: Wilson carried on Roosevelt’s reform for the regulation of big business. Roosevelt supported the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 and passed the Department of Commerce and Labor, and Wilson set up the Federal Trade Commission in 1914
• Roosevelt supported protection for workers against unjust employers and Wilson continued this theme
• Wilson persuaded Congress to pass many of Roosevelt’s major progressive reforms, for example Roosevelt supported female suffrage and Wilson changed his position to support the 19th Amendment
• in Wilson’s second term, he increasingly modified his approach so that it became more like Roosevelt’s idea of active federal intervention used to promote social justice.
Arguments challenging the view
• Wilson’s progressive ideology was different in emphasis from Roosevelt’s – Wilson believed in a return to freedom for small business and open competition
• Roosevelt campaigned for a broad programme of social welfare whilst Wilson shunned social welfare proposals
• although Wilson and Roosevelt agreed that economic power was being abused by trusts, Wilson and Roosevelt were split on how the government should handle this
• New Freedom and Roosevelt’s reforms differed primarily in their views of federal governmental power. Roosevelt wanted to use it while Wilson did not. Although Wilson built upon the example of Roosevelt, his administration fundamentally altered the nature and character of the presidency
• President Wilson opposed Roosevelt’s expansionist ideals and worked diligently to reverse foreign policy aims and remove American investments abroad.