Question

Read the quotation from Lincoln Steffens’s The Shame of the Cities.

"My purpose was . . . to see if the shameful facts, spread out in all their shame, would not burn through our civic shamelessness and set fire to American pride."

According to Steffens, what was the purpose of muckraking journalism?

A. to encourage people to buy fewer newspapers
B. to encourage people to become muckraking journalists themselves
C. to encourage people to rise up against their government
D. to encourage people to take action against widespread corruption

Answer 1

Lincoln Steffens main agenda is best epitomised as option D really that is to say he wanted to "encourage people to take action against widespread corruption"

Answer 2

The correct answer is D, that to encourage people to take action against widespread corruption

The "Muckrakers" were crusading journalists, authors and photographers who published their work in order to raise awareness on social issues and injustice. Other muckrakers highlighted the deficiencies in the political system. Their newspapers, articles and photographs led to the formation of influence groups sparking a series of reforms during the Progressive Era (1890 - 1920). Raising awareness of social injustice, corruption and inequality and the abuse of political power was their main goal in order to bring about the reform.