Progressivism refers to progressive ideas : that is, those that are considered advanced (bold, modern, advanced). The term is linked to political parties and movements that claim to defend this type of thoughts and doctrines .
It is important to keep in mind that progressivism is not a specific ideology, but a trend . Since what is considered "advanced" is subjective, the very notion of progressivism is often debated. Even contradictory positions can be part of what is understood as progressive.
At a general level, progressivism is associated with policies that aim to promote the redistribution of wealth . Furthermore, progressivism is usually related to the construction of a State present in the daily life of society, which offers quality public services and guarantees certain rights to all citizens.
It is often argued that progressivism is the opposite of conservatism . On the other hand, it is common for left-wing political parties to be described as progressive, although there are also analysts for whom progressivism goes beyond a distinction between right and left.
Today, progressivism encompasses secularism , feminism , environmental activism and respect for sexual diversity , for example. Regarding the economy , those who define themselves as progressive want each person to be able to develop according to their own abilities and efforts, without the conditions of birth determining what their ceiling is.
The Progressive Party of Spain , the Progressive Party of Chile and the Progressive Movement of Mexico are three political sectors that identified with progressivism. In Venezuela , on the other hand, it is currently possible to find the self-proclaimed Progressive Advanced .
Recapitulating, we can say that we can identify progressivism with a series of philosophical, economic, social and political doctrines that are characterized by being in favor of equal rights, justice and freedom for all without exception, always with the focus on a unlimited progress.
It is important to highlight that there is not a single form of progressivism and that not all of them are necessarily associated with a specific political position : for example, although they are usually linked to the left, there are also cases of right-wing or center-left progressivism. However, progressivism never stops being on the opposite side of conservatism.
Regarding the origin of progressivism, it took place in 1789 together with the French Revolution, when the people managed to overthrow the absolutist monarchy and developed the first version of human rights. Of course, the term itself did not appear immediately at that time; In any case, it lived a period of less intensity until it re-emerged in 1800 with the Liberal Revolution to propose a series of cultural, social and economic changes opposed to the conservative tendency to return to the Old Regime.
The absence of an imposed religion for the entire society is another of the objectives pursued by progressivism, so that spiritual institutions and the Church remain outside economic and political issues. The concept of democracy can be seen in these and other points of progressivism, since they are based on diversity and plurality, in a space where we all have the same rights and can express our ideas freely.
Progressivism raises the need for governments to guarantee the people a series of egalitarian economic and social conditions so that, in the best of theoretical cases, each person obtains the results they deserve based on their efforts. The concept of reformism also arises, which refers to the need for constant change that progressivism considers healthy for any society to advance in all its aspects.