The term progressive refers to a set of values, ideas, and policies that are different from the status quo. People who adhere to the progressive ideology are interested in social and economic equality, greater access to education and jobs, and improving our environment.
While most people understand the term progressive by its negative connotation of past era government policies such as Social Security or government-funded healthcare, both of those were gone by the time this article is written.
Today’s progressives seek to reform or eliminate many old government programs and regulations as they see fit. They believe that with enough pressure from the population, they will develop faster than before because people will be more aware of what is being proposed and why it is necessary.
This can be a little challenging to understand, as you need to project your own beliefs onto someone else, but this article will give some examples of what traditional progressives were and did not do.
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Social engineering
Another key element of progressivism was the use of social engineering. This term has several meanings, but one refers to the process of using formal or informal channels to persuade people to adopt your ideas and goals.
In a social-engineering attack, someone using deception to achieve their goal is the focus.
For example, in the late 1920s and early 1930s, liberals used economic pressures to promote progressive ideas such as welfare programs and public housing.
Today, liberals use cultural pressures to advance their goals such as attacking free speech on social media with policies like Twitter’s verified designation. Or having highly placed individuals use #PaxAmerica in order to push pro-American policies abroad.
These kinds of attacks are common on conservative websites and accounts because they are held to public standards and rules of engagement. They are held accountable for content and actions that promote American interests, but also contain political bias.
Consumer protection
One of the most basic tenets of progressivism is the protection of consumers. While many in conservatism believe that consumers are always right, progressives believe in protecting consumers at every level.
Consumers should be protected from unscrupulous businesses, from abusive companies, to expensive products that are warranted by their quality product.
Businesses should not use regulations as methods to make a profit, but rather as tools to protect consumers. If a company does not uphold consumer rights, then a company with more strength can take advantage of the regulation and put off what they feel is enough responsibility on the part of the company.
If a company does not live up to their obligations, they can be held accountable through regulation or legal action.
Environmental protection
The protection of the natural world was a key value of progressivism. Most conservatives recognize this value as nature, but most people do not understand the role that nature plays in traditional conservative values.
Traditional American values stress family, faith, and community. They place a premium on self-sacrifice and long-term thinking.
In contrast, modern values stress individualism, economic growth, and advanced technology. They place little emphasis on the family or faith and rarely consider the effects that their values may have on the planet itself.
Modern technology has destroyed many things — including old–fashioned moral standards like faith in a higher power and tradition. It has also created new ones like confidence in one’s own abilities to make decisions.