Progressive

When reffering to tax system or vouchers and in several other cases, it means that the rate is not constant. With taxes, richer people pay a higher percent. Vouchers: richer people get less credit.

The term progressive has had several meanings. It first was used to describe the 19th century reformers (of all parties) who sought to curb the corruption which was widespread in government (more so than today.) The term progressive generally is applied only to someone who is left of center. Jesse Ventura, though certainly a reformer, could never be considered a progressive. The progressive label as it is used today started as an alternative to the tainted label of liberal. Increasingly, however, it has come to mean someone to the left of liberals, what Europeans would call a social democrat.

Pro*gress"ive (?), a. [Cf. F. progressif.]

1.

Moving forward; proceeding onward; advancing; evincing progress; increasing; as, progressive motion or course; -- opposed to retrograde.

2.

Improving; as, art is in a progressive state.

Progressive euchre or whist, a way of playing at card parties, by which after every game, the losers at the first table go to the last table, and the winners at all the tables, except the first, move up to the next table. --
Progressive muscular atrophy (Med.), a nervous disorder characterized by continuous atrophy of the muscles.

-- Pro*gress"ive*ly, adv. -- Pro*gress"ive*ness, n.

© Webster 1913

Pro*gress"ive, a. (U. S. Politics)

Of or pertaining to the Progressive party.

© Webster 1913