Which concept refers to a close relationship between government and business that Progressives sought to challenge?

The concept that refers to a close relationship between government and business, which Progressives sought to challenge, is best described as corporatism or business monopolies. During the Progressive Era, many reformers were concerned about the significant influence that large corporations and monopolies had over government policies. They believed that this close relationship often led to corruption and practices that favored the interests of a few at the expense of the public good.

Progressives advocated for various reforms to reduce the power of these monopolies, push for antitrust laws, and ensure that government acted in the interest of the wider population rather than the elites. Their efforts were aimed at promoting competition, increasing transparency, and regulating businesses to protect consumers, workers, and the environment from undue corporate influence.

The other concepts, while relevant in discussions of economic and political systems, do not directly address the specific relationship that Progressives were concerned about. Communism and socialism involve more radical economic systems that seek to abolish capitalism altogether. Capitalism without regulation does highlight an absence of oversight, but it does not specifically note the entwined relationship Progressives opposed between government and large corporate interests.