What was the basic ideology of the Progressive movement?

arose in the
late 1800s in reaction to the excesses of the Industrial Revolution, which had led to political
corruption, wealth inequality, assimilation difficulties from mass migration, and the rapid
growth of cities as interior migration took place. The basic ideology of this era held that
reform of society through legislation is possible, beneficial, needed, and appropriate and that
these reforming laws can best be created through application of the scientific method. The
movement eventually affected all areas of society from business through the professions and
academia.

While this impulse arose from laudable intentions, it
led...