No more free markets or free beer: the Progressive Era in Nebraska, 1900-1924

Burton W. Folsom

Lexington Books, 1999 - History - 182 pages

In this book, Burton W. Folsom Jr. studies the decline of laissez-faire by looking at the increased government regulation and new restrictions on individual liberty in one critical state: Nebraska. During the progressive era in Nebraska, the critics of laissez-faire promoted intervention in both economic and social life through the issues of railroad regulation and prohibition of alcoholic beverages. The state's major political leaders—William Jennings Bryan, J. Sterling Morton, Gilbert Hitchcock, and George Norris—had to take stands on the issues of railroad regulation and prohibition. The debate over these issues dominated politics in Nebraska through the progressive era. Folsom analyzes Nebraska's major political campaigns, who won or lost and why, and how the state's major immigrant groups responded to the economic and cultural issues.

Contents

• MORTON VS BRYAN THE DECLINE AND FALL OF LAISSEZ FAIRE POLITICS: 11
• THE PROGRESSIVE ERA IN NEBRASKA 19001910: 37
• BRYAN VS DAHLMAN THE DEMOCRATS IN CRISIS 1910: 53
• GEORGE NORRIS THE REPUBLICANS AS PIETISTS AND PROGRESSIVES 1912 AND 1914: 70
• THE POLITICS OF PROHIBITION AND WAR 1916: 90
• GERMANAMERICANS AND THE REALIGNMENT OF 1918: 109
• THE NEW POLITICAL ORDER PROGRESSIVES VS CONSERVATIVES 1920: 124
• PARTIES IN TRANSITION THE POLITICS OF THE EARLY 1920S: 152
• CONCLUSION: 167
• BIBLIOGRAPHIC ESSAY: 172
• INDEX: 176

About the author

Burton W. Folsom Jr. is Senior Fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and Adjunct Professor of History at Northwood University.

Bibliographic information

• Title: No more free markets or free beer: the Progressive Era in Nebraska, 1900-1924
• Author: Burton W. Folsom
• Publisher: Lexington Books, 1999
• ISBN: 0739100149, 9780739100141
• Length: 182 pages
• Subjects: Business & Economics / Development / Economic Development; History / Americas (North, Central, South, West Indies); History / United States / General; Political Science / Political Process / General