American progressivism

Progressive, as a descriptor in American politics, has evolved over time. During the Progressive Era in the early 20th century, it was a synonym for modernism. In the 1940s through perhaps the 1970s, it tended to be euphemistic for far-left groups and ideology. In current usage, the term is used more as a more centrist, but still left-oriented, balance to conservative activism, especially neoconservatives and the Christian Right.