Question

Various reform groups with various causes developed in the US in the late 1800s and early 1900s; these are loosely called “Progressives” as they aimed to use government policies or science to improve and advance society. Also, this period was a time when the US started as a major player in international conflicts—first in the “Spanish American War and then in World War I. There were deep isolationist sentiments about such overseas entanglements, and President Wilson first has one position and then the other. Choose and discuss (in a full paragraph or two) one of the following two topics related to the late 1800s and early 1900s.

In the Progressive Era (roughly 1890–1920), multiple groups advocated for reforms in various aspects of government, society, and the economy. Discuss here the “muckrakers” and Taylor’s “scientific management”. Explain briefly the approach and aim of the “muckrakers” and that of F. W. Taylor. Compare their approaches and describe your feelings about them, and relate some modern situation that reminds you of one of these approaches and reform causes. Identify the source(s) where you read about the reform cause.

From the text, Wilson did not maintain his own campaign slogan (“He kept us out of war”). Explain with some specifics why Wilson became pro-war. Describe your own feelings on that issue when you look back at it, and whether he was right to change. Briefly, identify a similar international consideration today—or of the last 20 years, and what lesson might be drawn from the example in Wilson’s time. Identify the source(s) where you read about Wilson.

Answer 1

1) Scientific management is a theory of management that analyzed and synthesized workflows. Its development began with Frederick Wilson Taylor in the 1880s. Its main objective is to improve economic efficency, especially labor productivity by analysing and establishing workflow. The theme of scientific management is that, analysis, synthesis, logic, rationality, empiricism, work ethic, efficency and elimination of waste, standardization of best practices and others. A term coined in 1910 to describe the system of industrial management created by Frederick W. Taylor. This is also called Taylorism.

4 principles of scientific management :

Replace rule-of-thumb work methods with scientific study of task
Scientifically select, train and develop each worker rather than passively leaving them to train themselves
Cooperate with workers to ensure that developed methods are followed
Divide work nearly equally between managers and workers to apply scientific management .
McClure was a proponent of scientific management and the state ownership would permit an opportunity to implement Taylor's theories. In the case of rail roads the postal system did not operated efficiently . So a common idea seem to emerge from the muckrakers' highly critical investigations of the tariff , trust labor etc.