Reform is the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, or unsatisfactory. It may also refer to the amendment of conduct, belief, or manner of life. Reform is often viewed as antithetical to revolution, as it tends to emphasize change in means rather than a change in values.
The years between 1820 and 1860 in the United States could be described as one long era of reform, a time of social activism that produced multiple campaigns for abolitionism, temperance, women’s rights, and more. Many of these reform movements were fueled by the Second Great Awakening, a religious revival that encouraged individuals to address the societal issues they considered morally wrong. Some of these movements sought to purify society at large, in a way that would create an essentially utopian world.
Those movements were often nourished by Anabaptist roots—particularly Baptist and Quaker—or by Unitarianism, a form of faith that turned Puritanism’s doctrine of endless misery into an optimistic vision of a progressively more joyful heaven on earth. This millenialist, perfectionist strand introduced a strong utopian element to the reform movement. It was responsible for the numerous efforts to “come out” of society to establish smaller enclaves or utopian communities, such as the Shakers’ and the Oneida Community’s.
Increasingly, a wide range of reformers were drawn from the wealthy, who felt obligated to help the poor, and those who supported the causes of abolitionism, temperance, and women’s suffrage were usually liberal in their political views. Evaluate how the Enlightenment ideas that emphasized human rights and individual dignity galvanized these critical reform movements.