Populist Party Analysis

During the late 19th century and early 20th century the progressive movement and populist movement were groups and organizations getting together to resolve social, economic, and political problems occurring in the United States. Both movements had different approaches to what was more important and how to deal with problems. Progressivism was mainly for the betterment of cities while populism is for agrarian section of farmers.

The Populist Party is often referred to as the party of and for the people, and is labeled as such because it was, very candidly, founded by the common people, such as farmers and other laborers. While this party was in power, they had many ambitions and ideas that they sought to spread to others, and aspired to achieve. To understand the topic completely, one requires a general knowledge of the formation of the populist party, the elemental beliefs, goals and ideals, and how the downfall of the party came about, as this will aid in the understanding of the populist party’s want of free coinage of silver and how it would have helped debtors initially, but would have had a comprehensive and unfavorable effect on the American economy

The Populists and Progressive were form of movement that occurred during the outbreaks of the workers union after the civil war. The populists began during the late 1800s.The progressive began during the 1900s. There are many differences between these two movements, but yet these movements have many things that are similar.

The Populist Movement began in the late 1800s with the Farmer’s Alliance. The Farmer’s Alliance aimed to improve economic conditions, including low agricultural prices and loss of land as a consequence (Foner, 510). In the 1890s, the Farmer’s Alliance grew into the Populists or the People’s Party. The evolved party appealed to a larger audience, specifically the working or “producing” classes (Foner, 511). Two of the Populists’ main focuses were lower mortgage interest rates and the

cooperatives so as to make a profit. These two systems were a large step in the emergence

While the Populists were able to inspire some more government involvement in the economy with their currency concerns, the Progressives both reformed the government into a less corruptible system and called for more government participation in reducing the growing power of certain industries. Similarly, although the Populists managed to bring attention to the plight of the workers, the Progressives, with their wider range of supporters due to their broader appeal, was able to pass workplace regulations and to organize institutes to help foreigners assimilate into American society. Finally, as the Populists failed to convince the nation to address most of their most basic beliefs and goals, the Progressives succeeded in obtaining government recognition of their side of a long-standing racial dissension. In conclusion, historians are correct in believing that the Populists were less successful than the Progressives in attaining their goals because of the vast differences between the two results of the groups’ reform

Populism was a major thing in the 19th century. The populist was formed by farmers who believed that the government was treating them bad. Populism is usually most common in Democracy nations. In this Presidential election Bernie and Trump were seen being using the idea of populism. Both candidates both seemed to be anti-establishing platforms. Both candidates seemed to want to criticize free trade deals as the North American free Trade Agreement

In the words of Thomas Jefferson, “A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circlue of our felicities.” (Jefferson, 1801) This idea echoed far beyond it’s time and into the minds and hearts of the Populist’s, and became the center and the driving force of the Progressive era. During the gilded age railroads were being built, Industrialization was rising, the population of United States was increasing dramatically; and corporate businesses were becoming extremely

At the end of the 19th century the United States were in a time called “The Gilded Age”, coined by Mark Twain; a time of mass immigration, Western settlement, and industrialization. Out of these times emerged a political party named the Populist party, later changed to the People’s party. This party stood for the working man, like farmers and factory laborers. Though this party meant well, it did not last long. Surviving until 1896, the Populist party eventually merged with the Democratic party. With this being said, the Populist party was a short lived dream and failure.

In the early 19th century, farmers saw the need to cooperate with government regulation. They started to believe the government could solve their economic problems if they cooperated as part of the system. When once they were known as the epitome of the American dream, independent, and self-sufficient, they now submitted to government regulation. This decision was made in the 1896 elections. As a result of this transition, many children of farmers left and found work in the city. When generations past would have stayed on the farm their whole lives, a new window of opportunity was opening up as the market expanded.

The late nineteenth century was a power struggle between the democratic and the republicans parties of the United States. The struggle between these two parties eventually led to the populist party’s emergence. As a result of how the populist party built trust and united certain people, this was evident by the combined effort of individuals who have otherwise never united together before. The party rose to fame with the advent of the them listening to the concern of the people. However, the party saw its fame quickly dwindle during the election of 1896, with silver being the cause of this downfall.

1. What economic issues gave rise to the Populist Party, and what political and economic changes did the party advocate? Why were they considered so radical?

In the late 1800s businesses were taking over, many groups of people were upset with the power that business had such as farmers. They started a Farmer’s Alliance which later developed into the Populist Party. The platform for the Populist Party included many things such as graduated income taxes and regulations of railroads. Although the Populist Party had very little success, the Progressive reformers wanted to continue the Populist Party’s legacy. Both parties had similarities and differences but the end goal was the same: To improve the lives of the people they were fighting for, economically, politically and socially.

In a political atmosphere where it is easy to be grouped up in either conservative or liberal, it is harder to see such an easy split more and more each day. Non-traditional candidates are now emerging into the political arena that in prior elections would have been scoffed at. Whether we are talking about the unusually high polling Libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson, the Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders or the Authoritarian Republican Nominee, Donald Trump, It is getting harder and harder to ignore the rise they are having. The two major political parties will have to adapt to these emerging ideologies or face the threat of the dreaded “third party”.

The Populists and Progressive were two major movements that occurred during the outbreaks of the workers union after the civil war. The populists began during the late 1800s and the progressives began during the 1900s. There are many differences between these two movements, but yet both of these movements have many things in common. During this time, farmers united to protect their interests by creating a major political party. This party was known as the Peoples Party, which became known as the Populist Party. Populists drew their strength from rural areas as many Populists tended to mostly be poor and uneducated. They had ideas such as government ownership of major industries. Progressives, also affected by industrialization, began their movements in order to reestablish their society.