In Progressivism, the domestic policy
of government had two main concerns.
First, government must protect
the poor and other victims of capitalism through redistribution of
resources, anti-trust laws, government control over the details of
commerce and production: i.e., dictating at what prices things must
be sold, methods of manufacture, government participation in the
banking system, and so on.
Second, government must become
involved in the "spiritual" development of its citizens -- not, of
course, through promotion of religion, but through protecting the
environment ("conservation"), education (understood as education to
personal creativity), and spiritual uplift through subsidy and
promotion of the arts and culture.
