The Four Major Perspectives Of Populism

There was a social change in which women also fought for suffrage. The populists were pretty much the victims of economic distress and their arguments were founded on the basis of progressive movements. One of the populist failure was that they lost the national election when the farmers united to insist on economic reform.

The onset 20th Century holds two main movements: The Populists and The Progressives. These two parties are similar, but their policies and philosophies hold diversities. The Populists party comprises of farmers and poor whites in the south; they focus on eastern interests i.e. railroads and banks. The Populists also call for government action, to intervene and to create an efficient society which includes a flourishing middle class. The Progressives include educated middle class men and men of universities, they too demanded for reform, but accomplish their goals through legislation and the judicial system. The Progressives focused on reform as well as destroying the Robber Barons. Some Progressives were actually a part of the Populist Party; they weren’t contradictory parties. To simplify the matter The Populist party held picnics in order to present discussions, while the Progressives hold educated and sophisticated men of great esteem who were much more formal.

Farmers united to protect their interests, even creating a major political party. The party was called the peoples party which became known as the populist party. Populists drew its strength from rural areas. Populists tended to be poor and uneducated. They had ideas such as government ownership of major industries. The Populists supported labors demand for an eight

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

Many critics of history have long argued that Populists were far less successful than Progressives in reaching their objectives, which is supported by the difference in beliefs of the two groups and the results of their distinct reform attempts. Despite not being as effective as the Progressives, the Populists did succeed in getting several of their ideas acknowledged by the government. Unfortunately for the political group, a majority of the Populist demands remained unrecognized or barely enforced. On the other hand, the Progressive movement resulted in several societal and government reforms, as well as a new interest in the wellbeing of the general population. While the Populists and Progressives shared similar objectives, the

The Populists took major issues with the capitalists and monopolies of the era. In their party’s platform (Document A), the Populists say that the land is “concentrated in the hands of the capitalists.” This prevented the small farmer from living the American Dream of building a successful life for himself and his family. A common view for farmers was expressed by James B. Weaver in 1892 (Document F), who believed that the monopolies of the era were “organized to destroy competition and restrain trade.” These large scale farms caused overproduction, causing an “alarming fall in the price of wheat (Document E).” This price fall caused a chain reaction of events that all had the same effect, small farmers being crippled by loss of income.

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

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?

There was a widely accepted notion called populism that had led to an ‘us’ and ‘them’ concept,

The Populist Party, also known as the people’s party, was a third party political option in the primary election for president during the late 18th century. It played a major role progressive politics and politics today. The party mainly supported workers rights and equality. Even though the party only lasted seventeen years, it was ultimately a success because of its major achievements in politics and workers

The party adopted a platform calling for the free coinage of silver along with the abolition of national banks. Another aspect of the Populist Party, is a graduated income tax, government ownership of all forms of transportation and communication, and the election of Senators by direct vote of the people. Civil service reform, a working day of eight hours, postal banks, pensions, and the reform of immigration regulations are just some of the other views and beliefs of populists.

In the paper presented below, the author assembles an idea about populism as a modern tyranny, taking book IX as a reference for the similarity of certain features among a populist leader today, with the tyrant of yesterday described by Plato. According to Socrates the democratic man arose from the oligarchic father when he dared to place in the same rank the necessary and unnecessary desires enjoying them in moderation. In Book IX of the treatise of Plato 's Republic, Socrates argues his disciple Adeimantus as the Democratic son of a man becomes a tyrant when he lets himself be dragged by evil companies that incite him to seek the pleasure of the forbidden at best dark of his being,

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.

1. A permanent union of all working classes; wanted farmer and working to share the same bond.

In 2004, Cas Mudde of University of Georgia referred to populism as a “… thin ideology that merely sets up a framework of pure people versus a corrupt elite.” Populists aim to unite the people against perceived “corrupt dominant elite”. Generally, populists define themselves as people who are not afraid, to tell the truth. They feel free to criticize everything, from Wall Street to Oval Office.