Definitions for "Progressivism"
the political orientation of those who favor progress toward better conditions in government and society
A belief system honoring or urging improvement, change, growth, and reform. A prominent social movement in London's day, when people worked for slum improvement, public health, women's suffrage, elimination of prostitution, child labor laws, destruction of urban political machines, and so forth. Most socialists, like London, supported Progressive causes but added a class-based analysis to their arguments.
The Progressive movement (1900-1917) as the most successful reformist era in American history. A phenomenon of the upper-middle class, it fostered direct democracy at both the state level (the initiative, recall, and referendum) and nationally (the direct election of U.S. senators), municipal nonpartisanship, special district government for school administration, and the income tax. Although it was brought to a close by World War I, many of its principles lived on through Senator Robert LaFollette (R-WI) and in the New Deal.