Book Look: A Fierce Discontent, The Rise and Fall of the Progressive Movement in America, by Michael McGerr

 Enjoyed this readable account of America's first (of many) flirtations with Progressivism, which explores everything from politics to economics, society, and culture. McGerr never strays far from his central thesis - that the Progressive movement represented a shift from individualism ("Anything can be achieved through hard work") to collectivism ("We have a responsibility to our fellow man, especially the ones that have no power"), from Victorianism (traditional domesticity) to modernism (self-actualization), with a heavy emphasis on solidifying the power, prosperity, and moral compass of the middle class. This hypothesis provides a useful lens for contextualizing the many subtopics that this book addresses, which include:

* The Rise of Progressivism (the social and cultural forces that triggered dissatisfaction)
* Transforming Americans (the Progressives' attempts to regulate behaviour and curtail exploitation)
* Ending class conflict (their attempts to empower workers through collective organization)
* Controlling big business (their efforts to reign in the unethical practices of monopolies)
* Segregation (the extent of their many failures, and the reasons for them)
* Technology & entertainment (how the rise of individual pleasures undermined the Progressive agenda)
* How WW1 brough Progressivism to an end (at least temporarily, as the US has continually lurched between Progressivism and Conservatism ever since)

Each chapter begins by focusing on the story of an individual, before expanding to explore the wider issues and then eventually circling back to reflect on the implications on the individual whose story began the discussion, a technique that adds a level of personalization that these kinds of historical analyses often lack.

There's a staggering amount of research here, but the author does a good job of keeping things moving and resists the urge to get too far down in the weeds. McGerr lacks the storytelling chops of a Doris Kearns Goodwin or David McCullough, but I still ended up reading this whole thing in just three long sessions because the subject matter is so fascinating ... and so timely. Looking for insights into potential outcomes of our recent jarring cycle of progressivism --> conservativism? unregulated capitalism vs. social justice? nativism vs. assimilation? The impact of technological innovation on culture? Looking back to what happened in the past is always a great place to start.