Essay Sample on Theodore Roosevelt's New Nationalism vs. Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom

Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president of the United States of America who served for eight years from March 4, 1913 (Pestritto, and Lucia). He came up with the program for change whereby he attacked the Triple Wall of Privilege.

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Additionally, he fought unfairness in business practices, and the wall was used to refer to banks, the tariffs imposed on the customers as well as the trusts. The primary objective of the New Freedom Vision was to empower small businesspeople who operated small businesses by spearheading the process of reforming the Banks, their Tariffs as well as supporting antitrust laws. The second argument in the put across by Wilson was that for the small scale farmers and businesses to succeed there was a need to get rid of monopolies. The New Freedom was very critical in the life of Wilson as it helped him transform from the academic to the political sphere.

Wilson strongly believed that the concentration of wealth had a subsequent impact of concentration of power in a few people (Croly). The two had a similarity as they both supported progressive reforms and both vied for presidential position in 1912. Although both supported progressive reforms their approaches were different and Roosevelt with "Bull Mouse Party" favored an efficient program referred to as New Nationalism. Unlike Wilson who was entirely against the concentration of wealth and trusts among a few people, Roosevelt was okay with the economic power but wanted new reforms to be initiated so that the federal government could have the ability to regulate them. Wilson was opposed to this as he believed that this approach was one that advocated for a monopoly which is regulated by the government.

He argued that Roosevelt did not consider the interests of those who operated small scale businesses (Croly). The New Nationalism also was a threat to free competition as it supported a monopoly. The small banks were closing down due to the monopoly of the large banks, and the people were losing their savings at an alarming rate. In 1914 an antitrust act was passed by the Congress to investigate any cases of unfair competition in the American businesses. A company found guilty of the offense could be ceased, or its operation desisted.

New nationalism was a political philosophy of Theodore Roosevelt where he was describing the democracy of countries as the best instrument (Pestritto, and Lucia). As President Theodore Roosevelt wanted to serve the people, he represented by solving the challenges that the people faced. New nationalism was popular among the people and made president Theodore Roosevelt become popular among the people because it was for their advantage to get the best service from the government. Theodore Roosevelt believed the blacks who were discriminated at the time in the United States should have equal opportunities from the government in terms of property rights and human welfare.

New nationalism argued that the society needed to be changed from the old ways where the minority did not have equal opportunities with the majority (Pestritto, and Lucia). The American history was associated with discrimination of people, and new nationalism wanted to change this notion. New nationalism was about bringing social change to the people and allowing them to enjoy equal social status regardless of their social status in society. The human rights of the people would be protected.

The new nationalism was successful in promulgating the constitution that entailed people participating in the affairs of the country and determining the way they wanted their leaders to serve them (Hawley). President Theodore Roosevelt renewed faith to the people that their ideas and beliefs that they had the power to control and decide what they wanted the leaders to do for them. The president gave hope to the people that they would have equal rights regardless of their race.

The arguments by President Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson concerns things that the American people talk up to today (Hawley). The American people are still divided between different races and class hence not much progress in terms of human rights and equal opportunities among all the people. The modern debates usually come up during elections as leaders divide the people to get votes. The politicians want people to be divided so that they can win the electoral seats that they are vying. Although the constitution recognizes all races and social class, there is still few people who discriminate others because if the color of their skin.

The parallel debates between those made by President Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson are emerging where the leaders are encouraging the division of the people (Hawley). There are also debates that some people are not American citizens; hence they need to be deported to their mother countries. The debates differ those of Theodore and Woodrow who wanted all the people to be treated with humility. People are beginning to go back to the hatred of their fellow citizens because they are not like them. People need to go back to the values that President Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow believed in.

Works Cited

Croly, Herbert. The promise of American life. Routledge, 2017.

Hawley, Ellis Wayne. The New Deal and the problem of monopoly. Princeton University Press, 2015.

Pestritto, Ronald, and Lucia Shipley. "Wilson'S New Freedom | Teaching American History." Teachingamericanhistory.Org, 2011, http://teachingamericanhistory.org/newsletter/201102-2/.