Progressive Ideals: Rooted in American Values
by Peter Phillips
www.dissidentvoice.org
October 15, 2005



 

The term progressive is widely used by contemporary writers, politicians, and liberals, but an understanding of what makes up a progressive agenda is generally unknown. Many people have a vague sense that progressives are left-of-center folks mostly concerned with societal fairness and governmental transparency. This notion is rooted in the Progressive movement that occurred in the US between 1900 and 1915. According to Richard Hofstadfer in his book The Progressive Movement, 100 years ago our grandparents and great grandparents faced the accumulated evils of political bosses, banking trusts, railroad greed/overcharging, unjust taxation, millionaire senators, yellow-dog journalism, and cities filled with pollution and tenements. A nationwide multi-party political movement of mostly middle class working people emerged that sought political reform, increased governmental regulation, city sanitation, and objective media. The movement was closely tied into women suffrage and the formation of the NAACP.

Progressives in the 21st century continue in this tradition of democracy building and transparency of corporate and political power. Progressive values are rooted in the American traditions of equality, fairness, due process, and democratic decision making at the deepest level possible. Progressives recognize that institutional power, both public and private, has created inequalities of race, class and gender, and that democratic governmental regulation is needed to make necessary social justice corrections for humanity worldwide. Progressives believe in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Bill of Rights, open access to corporate and governmental information, democratic media and individual human freedom. Progressives believe that human freedom includes the freedom from hunger, homelessness, unemployment, environmental pollution, discrimination based on physical attributes and long imprisonment for non-violent crimes.

Progressives encourage socio-economic/political systems that maximize individual participation, self-actualization, loving interpersonal relationships and healthy environments.

Progressives are a diversified bunch who come from all political parties with a full range of human characteristics.

More importantly, progressives seek personal life styles that reflect their core values. Simplicity is highly valued through a life of slower natural foods, sustainable consumption, efficient living spaces, and a daily consciousness of striving for human betterment through social action.

Social action based on progressive values is possible locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. It is action emerging from real internalized values that lead people to self-actualization and right livelihood. One step at a time can lead us to a progressive future.

Imagine a society with regionally sustainable economies, self-actualizing people, crimelessness, and general equality. Such a life is possible, not just for us but for the world.

Peter Phillips is a Professor of Sociology at Sonoma State University and Director of Project Censored a media research group at: www.projectcensored.org.

Other Articles by Peter Phillips

* Big Media Interlocks with Corporate America
* Incomplete News Undermines US Values
* Tsunami Disaster Highlights Corporate Media Hypocrisy
* Democracy Fails: Corporations Win
* Media Reform Needed for a Continuing Democracy
* Mainstream Media Fails Itself
* Corporate Media Ignores US Hypocrisy on War Crimes
* Junk Food News: Entertainment Media 2003
* Corporate Media and Homeland Security Move Towards Total Information Control
 

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