What were the Progressivess concerns about industrial concentration?

The
Progressives were very concerned about the power and the influence of big businesses. The
Progressives believed that businesses held almost all of the power. The Progressives wanted to
level the playing field.

The Progressives were concerned about conditions in
factories. The workers had long hours, low pay, and unsafe working conditions. Kids were working
in the factories instead of going to school. The Progressives set out to change this. Worker
compensation laws were passed to help workers that were injured on the job. Laws were passed to
restrict child labor and to require kids to go to school. Safety regulations were developed for
factories. Unions were given the right to exist with the passage of the Clayton Antitrust
Act.

The Progressives were also concerned about unregulated business
activities. The Meat Inspection Act was passed to require that the federal government would
inspect the meat factories. The Pure Food and Drug Act prevented companies from falsely labeling
foods and medicines. The Bureau of Corporations was created to investigate business activities.
The Bureau of Mines was established to monitor mining companies. The Hepburn Act gave the
Interstate Commerce Commission the power to set railroad rates. The Childrens Bureau could look
into issues with child labor. The Federal Trade Commission could order businesses to stop unfair
business practices. The Clayton Antitrust Act also ended price discrimination where businesses
charged different rates to different customers. Railroad workers got an eight-hour workday with
the passage of the Adamson Act. The Progressives also went after trusts that formed, especially
those trusts that acted only in their own self-interest.

The Progressives
wanted to give the workers and the common person a chance to be treated fairly by big
businesses. Before the Progressive Era began, this wasnt happening.brought about many positive
changes for the workers and for the common people.