Rendezvous with Destiny: A History of Modern American Reform

work by Goldman

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July 13, 2026

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Rendezvous with Destiny: A History of Modern American Reform by Eric F. Goldman explores the Progressive movement in the United States. This reform movement, active in the early 20th century, aimed to address the societal and governmental challenges arising from rapid industrialization and urbanization.

Progressives sought to strengthen the national government, making it more responsive to the public. They focused on issues like the concentration of wealth and the power of large corporations. Key goals included promoting a philosophy of collective responsibility, reforming politics to link officials more directly with public opinion, and strengthening executive power to tackle complex national issues. The movement significantly shaped American politics and government, leaving a lasting legacy on reform traditions.12

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Eric F. Goldman
He explored American liberalism in Rendezvous with Destiny: A History of Modern American Reform (1952), which won the Bancroft History Prize and became a standard text in high schools and universities. He also wrote The Crucial Decade, America 1945–55 (1956), which was updated in 1961 and retitled The Crucial Decade—and…
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He explored American liberalism in Rendezvous with Destiny: A History of Modern American Reform (1952), which won the Bancroft History Prize and became a standard text in high schools and universities. He also wrote The Crucial Decade, America 1945–55 (1956), which was updated in 1961 and retitled The Crucial Decade—and…
Read More