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Difficulty: MediumProgressive Era Reforms and Influences

"American industry is not free, as once it was free; American enterprise is not free; the man with only a little capital is finding it harder to get into the game, to go his own way in it, and to climb with his business... What this country needs above all else is a body of laws which will look after the men who are on the make, not the men who are already made."

— Woodrow Wilson, *The New Freedom*, 1913

Which of the following Progressive Era actions was most directly aligned with the perspective expressed in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The reliance on unregulated market forces and laissez-faire policies to resolve industrial consolidation
  2. B
    The advocacy for direct government ownership of major utility and transportation networks
  3. The passage of federal legislation to regulate corporate monopolies and restore market competitionAnswer
  4. D
    The creation of federal health insurance entitlement programs to directly support elderly citizens

Answer

The passage of federal legislation to regulate corporate monopolies and restore market competition
The correct answer is the option stating that Woodrow Wilson's perspective aligned with the passage of federal legislation to regulate corporate monopolies and restore competition. In his 'New Freedom' campaign, Wilson argued that federal intervention was necessary to break up trusts and monopolies to allow small businesses and individual entrepreneurs to compete fairly in the market. This philosophy led to major Progressive reforms, including the Clayton Antitrust Act and the establishment of the Federal Trade Commission in 1914.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source text to identify the author's primary concern and argument.
Woodrow Wilson argues that individual economic opportunity is being crushed by large corporate structures ('men who are already made') and calls for 'a body of laws' to protect smaller enterprises ('men who are on the make').
This establishes that the author supports federal legislative intervention to curb the power of big business and restore opportunity.
2
Evaluate the options to find the development that matches the goal of using federal laws to limit corporate power and restore economic competition.
The option advocating for federal legislation to regulate monopolies and restore market competition matches this goal, as demonstrated by Progressive reforms like the Clayton Antitrust Act and the creation of the Federal Trade Commission.
This directly connects Wilson's rhetoric of regulating big business to actual Progressive Era reforms.
3
Identify why the other options represent incorrect historical contexts or movements.
Government ownership of railroads was a Populist goal; laissez-faire was the Gilded Age practice Progressives opposed; and federal health insurance was a Great Society initiative from the 1960s.
This confirms that the other choices represent distinct historical eras or alternative political platforms, leaving only the correct regulatory choice.

Key Concept

Progressive Era Reforms and Influences
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Progressive Era Reforms and Influences

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