Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumProgressive Era Reforms and Influences

Source: Robert M. La Follette, *La Follette’s Autobiography: A Personal Narrative of Political Experiences*, 1913.

"The nomination of all candidates by direct vote under the Australian ballot... is the only way to destroy the power of the political machine. So long as the nominating system remains in the hands of the caucus and convention, the voters will never be able to choose their own public servants. The boss will rule, and the interests will control the boss. But with a direct primary, the power is restored to the people, and the representative character of our government is reestablished."

The ideas expressed in the excerpt most directly reflect which of the following Progressive Era goals?

  1. A
    Establishing federal ownership of transportation and communication networks to assist rural populations.
  2. B
    Eliminating government regulation of political parties to foster a laissez-faire electoral market.
  3. Expanding citizen participation in the democratic process to limit the power of political bosses.Answer
  4. D
    Applying the principle of popular sovereignty to let individual territories vote on the legality of local labor regulations.

Answer

Expanding citizen participation in the democratic process to limit the power of political bosses.
The correct answer is correct because the direct primary and the Australian ballot were key state-level Progressive reforms. They aimed to increase democratic participation by allowing citizens to vote directly for party candidates and cast secret ballots, thereby diminishing the influence of corrupt party bosses and political machines.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the author and core context of the passage.
Robert M. La Follette, a leading Progressive reformer, is discussing the direct primary and the Australian ballot.
This establishes the historical period (Progressive Era) and the specific political reforms under discussion.
2
Analyze the main argument of the text.
The text argues that the caucus and convention systems allow corrupt political bosses and special interests to control candidate nominations, whereas direct primaries and secret ballots restore power to the voters.
Understanding the argument enables matching it with the broader reforms of the era.
3
Match the argument to the correct historical goal.
The direct primary and the Australian ballot were intended to expand democratic participation and diminish the influence of political machines.
This directly connects the document's message to the correct Progressive objective.

Key Concept

Democratic and electoral reforms in the Progressive Era designed to combat political machine corruption.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Rate this question

Topics

Progressive Era Reforms and Influences

More questions from this topic