Transcript Populism: An Overview - Independent School District 196

Populism:
An Overview
Populism

A general definition: A political philosophy
supporting the rights and power of the
people in their struggle against the
privileged elite.

A more specific definition: A movement,
primarily of farmers, in the late 1800s that
demanded government aid for the
common farmer and worker.
Organization is the Key to Change
In a Democracy, the “common” people
supposedly have the power to use
government to benefit their lives.
However, this often does not happen due
to low participation, lack of education, and
disorganization.
 Farmers in the late 1800s created
organizations with social, economic, and
political purposes.

The Road to the People’s Party
The Grange (1867)
 The Greenback Labor Party (1874)
 Farmers’ Alliance (1876)
 The People’s (Populist) Party (1892)

Populist Party Platform
Excerpts from the 1892 Populist Party platform:
 We demand free and unlimited coinage of silver and
gold
 Transportation being a means of exchange and a
public necessity, the government should own and
operate the railroads in the interest of the people.
The telegraph and telephone, like the post-office
system, being a necessity for the transmission of
news, should be owned and operated by the
government in the interest of the people.
Populist Party Platform
Excerpts from the 1892 Populist Party platform:
 the revenue derived from a graduated income tax
should be applied to the reduction of the burden of
taxation now levied upon the domestic industries of
this country
 we cordially sympathize with the efforts of
organized workingmen to shorten the hours of
labor, and demand a rigid enforcement of the
existing eight-hour law on Government work
Populist Party Platform
Excerpts from the 1892 Populist Party platform:
 we favor a constitutional provision limiting
the office of President and Vice-President to
one term, and providing for the election of
Senators of the United States by a direct vote
of the people
The Debt-Deflation Doldrums

Many farmers were plagued by a viscous
combination of falling prices (deflation) and
heavy debt.

Deflation made it even more difficult to pay off
debt and many farmers were facing foreclosure.

Many farmers tried to increase production to get
out of debt. This actually lowered prices,
worsening the problem.
The Free Silver Solution

To many, the answer was to increase the
money supply. This would cause inflation
and make it easier for farmers to pay off
their debts.

Populists advocated the “free coinage” of
silver which meant turning silver into legal
currency.
Results
The Populist movement never gained the
presidency, but it did gain influence on the
state level.
 Some of the populist reforms were
eventually adopted (graduated income
tax, direct election of senators)
 Never managed to significantly improve
the position of farmers

Analyze the reasons for the emergence
of the Populist Movement in the late
nineteenth century.
(1995 AP Test)
1) Write a thesis statement
2) Outline a basic organizational
structure (you need main ideas, not
specific sub-structure)
(This will be turned in for credit)
Sample Thesis
Populism emerged in the late 1800s because
farmers were frustrated with high debt
and low prices, felt that banks and
railroads were too powerful, and felt that
government was not responsive to the
needs of the people.