Progressive People's Coalition: 'Progressive History of America'

Source: IZ Quotes- Theodore Roosevelt, on being a Bull Moose Progressive.

Source:The Daily View

"The Transformation of American Democracy: Teddy Roosevelt, the 1912 Election, and the Progressive Party - By Sidney M. Milkis."

From New Progressive Voice

Source: California Perspectives on American History- The 1912 Progressive Party ticket.

I disagree with the guy talking in this video on perhaps only one thing. He argued (and I’m paraphrasing) that progressivism is neither left or right, but a belief in improving the human condition or welfare of the people. And doing what’s best to achieve those things somewhat at least regardless of ideology. The only thing that I disagree with that is that progressivism is neither right or left. To me at least progressivism along with liberalism, is on the center-left of American politics and very mainstream to the point that probably most Americans whether they’re aware of that or not, are Progressives. Which I’ll explain.

Progressives believe in progress and ,making things and life in society better. What puts them on the center-left is that they believe government has a major role, but not the only role and the national government even, in seeing that society moves forward and progress is always made. I agree with the guy in the video that progressivism is different from both conservatism and liberalism. Conservatism at least in the political sense, is about conserving the status-quo and conserving the U.S. Constitution and our constitutional rights. Liberalism is based off the U.S. Constitution and our individual rights. But not about conserving the status-quo. Protecting the Constitution and our individual rights, but always looking to move forward and make things better.

What makes progressivism different from liberalism, is that progressivism is not as individualist and less based on individual rights and more based on society as a whole. So it's similar to socialism in that, but where progressivism is different from socialism is that Progressives don’t believe government can do everything for everybody. Progressives don’t believe in nationalizing certain parts of the economy, or having a welfare state big enough to essentially manage people’s personal and financial lives for them.

Progressives believe in American capitalism and even a certain level of economic freedom, short of centralized wealth and having no rules in the economy to protect people from predators. But that everyone in life should be able to be successful and live well. Instead of the private market completely being responsible for who wins and who loses in society. Progressives believe that everyone should have the right and opportunity to succeed in America. Instead of economic wealth and freedom in America to be completely determined based on where, and whom people are born too. That even people born to low-income and even irresponsible parents, should have the opportunity to do well in America.