Populist Movement Research Paper

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The Populist movement became very popular in the late 1800s, this is because, as stated in Encyclopedia of American Cultural and Intellectual History, “Populists advocated for the needs of ordinary men and women, populism as a larger concept in our culture refers to any political movement, form of political speech, or general style which targets the concerns of common folk” (Encyclopedia of American Cultural and Intellectual History, 2001). The Populists wanted the farmers voices to be heard, because the dreamed of their economic freedom. They wanted the farmers to stand up for themselves and the list of their demands. There were many factors that led up to the creation of this party including the fact that, after the Civil War, many farmers …show more content…
But the populist party was initially created because of the farmers. As more and more people moved out west after the civil war, farmers began purchasing or taking out loans for land.The more land they bought, the more money they lost, and the more in debt they became. Since the depression hit in 1893, they lost even more money and the Populist Party lost delegate votes to the Republican Party. According to Encyclopedia of American Cultural and Intellectual History, “Because they dreamed of economic independence, they endured many hardships without complaint: prairie fires, grasshopper infestations, killing frosts, droughts, and much more” (Encyclopedia of American Cultural and Intellectual History, 2001). Many farmers hoped that their luck would be better the next year. The farmers wanted to believe in the good, but they finally started to see the light when they realized the government had been causing their misery all along. The government couldn’t control the weather, but they did control the pricing of things and decided who went where, so many farmers began to join the Grange, which acted as a secret society to these …show more content…
The farmers had finally had enough and didn’t want to be bullied by the government any longer. The populists were the first group to actually listen and try to fight back with the farmers for what was right, and in this case, giving the farmers what they demanded was the right way to go. The cost for transportation was outrageous, they could barely pay for it, which caused them to go further into debt. They also went through many different weather changes, including a very harsh drought. The farmers crops were no longer viable and they could not sell them, which made them lose even more money and causing an even bigger struggle. The farmers couldn’t pay for the land they bought or pay off their loans they took out, so the government began taking away their land and their homes, which broke apart some families. That was the end of the straw for the Populist Party. They had fix what was being destroyed. This party was brought to life after all of these events, and when it failed in 1896 because William Jennings Bryan lost the election, it was a sad day for many. “The 1896 election marked the victory of industrialism, big business, and the Republican Party just in time for the opening of the new century.” The Populist Party may have had a short run, but the party and its concerns would never be forgotten, people will always look back on this 7 year time period in history
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