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Compare And Contrast The Populists

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The Populists of the late 1800s proved to be a significant liberal movement since their ideals contradicted with the common conservative beliefs in the time period. Composed of former members of the Grange and the Farmers’ Alliance, the Populist Party formed as a result of the economic problems farmers faced in the Gilded Age. Farmers blamed their debt troubles on several powerful forces. Railroad companies overcharged for shipping and farmers faced the extremely high McKinley Tariff which made it more expensive to buy an item harder to sell crops. The farmers’ financial woes led them to develop liberal beliefs and solutions and promote the preservation of the small farming way of life during a time when the nation was becoming more industrial. Therefore, the Populists advocated a wide variety of economic, political, and social beliefs and reforms which greatly contrasted the more common conservative views of the …show more content…

Many of the farmers they supported were far from the nation’s capital so the Populists attempted to bring the federal government to the farmers. They desired the direct election of U.S. Senators through the popular vote during a time when the state legislatures chose them. Populists also favored a one-term limit for president, contrasting the conservative no-term limit idea that was present until the passage of an amendment in the twentieth century, so that the common man could control the government, not a corrupt and powerful executive. Furthermore, the large number of popular votes that the Populist Party received in the Election of 1892 and the crucial election of 1896 in which William Jennings Bryan represented mostly Populist views displayed that the Populists’ liberal platform attracted many voters. The Populists’ political views on government interference and enhancing democracy significantly contrasted with the existing views of the time period which showed the liberalism of the

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The Wizard of Oz, published in 1900, proves to be a story that has survived the test of time. Even today, many critics are analyzing different aspects of the story and there is debate over what type of storyline it follows. Many make the argument that it was written as a myth or fairytale, while others believe the symbols can be better interpreted to have other meanings, such as being related to the Populist Party in the late 19th century and issues from the time period. Although many symbols and characters throughout the novel parallel common Populist ideas and people, it was not intentionally written to be a Populist allegory by Baum.

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The Populist Party wanted to limit the federal government through the direct election of US Senators. This would reduce the power of state legislators and return to a more democratic style of election. The Jacksonian Democrats and the Populist Party were almost identical in their concerns about the American economy in their respective times. Jacksonians were heavily influenced by Thomas Jefferson in the way that they saw America becoming a great agrarian nation that would have little industry.

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Farmers of the late 19th century faced several struggles as they attempted to feed themselves and a growing nation. Though they were undeniably crucial to the country, the country often abandoned them to fend against their problems themselves. These desertments lead to the creation of several movements, such as The Grange, and of political parties such as the Populists. The challenges of American farmers were often intertwined and difficult to get to one cause of the problem. Increasing railroad use and inflated prices hurt the farmers tremendously, which then lead to widespread debt and the cry for silver to be used in the money standard, which then resulted in overproduction of goods to try to overcompensate for the burgeoning debt, but only made it worse.

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In the late nineteenth century, farmers faced problems that they saw as threats to the lifestyle they lived. Monopolies, trusts, railroads, money shortages and distribution of silver were the reasons why these agrarian people were discontent, and they had the right to complain about any of these things. Although some may say that the complaints made by these agrarians are not valid, farmers did indeed have their fair share of problems. As a result of these problems, the Populist Party which was made up of farmers arose because of reasons that the farmers thought caused agricultural decline, giving valid reasons to be discontent and not happy with the unfairness they had to go through in an unprotected world market.

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The populist party was made up of farmers, mostly those were from the South and the Great plains. They were raging about the decline of land and the rise of industrialization and cities. These farmers believed that they were the true backbone of America and that their country and government was being ripped away from them. They focused on certain antagonist such as, Banks, farm machinery manufacturers and most of all the Railroad Companies. Many thought that these businesses were trying to get every penny that they possibly owned out of the farmers.

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The party was formed in 1912 by the urban middle class, who were displeased with all of the corruption in politics. This party was very successful at achieving what the Populists could not. They succeeded at getting laws passed to restrain immigration, set up a postal savings banks, limiting work days to eight-hours, and set up an initiative, referendum, and recall. The Progressives also had several amendments passed, the sixteenth, allowing for the graduated income tax, the seventeen, enforcing the direct primary that was passed by the Populists, the eighteenth, staring the prohibition on alcohol, and the nineteenth, allowing everyone to vote regardless of their gender. Much of the Progressives success was due to muckrakers.

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Since focusing on politics would of torn the Whig party apart they instead focused on personal characteristics. In eighteen forty Henry Harrison lead the Whig party to their first presidential victory in a campaign which focused more on his heroic military experience then the issues. During the late eighteen forties and early eighteen fifties slavery had become the major political issue. The disagreements and unwillingness to compromise among the Whig party lead to groups down fall.

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The 19th century was a period of widespread social, economical and political problems in the United States, from the 1890s to the 1920s in need of reform. Both parties were created by the people’s dissatisfaction with the government and its ability to appeal to the majority. The Populist movement was founded my farmers, laborers and middle class civilians that wanted government regulation in the economy, more authority in the government, educating immigrants, to prevent government corruption and high positions to be based on experience.

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Populist Movement Success or Failure In 1892, a group of  middle class farmers in the South and Midwest evolved creating what was known as the populist party. The populists came together to discuss how the government was ignoring the economic problems they were facing, creating  lots of anger among the party, and resulting in the formation of the populist movement. Throughout this Movement, the populists were unsuccessful in ways of  not accomplishing everything they hoped to receive in the future. If the populists were not completely successful in their Movement, then what did the populists receive from the revolt?

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The populist movement focused more on reforming the economic system, while Progressive movement focused on changing the political system. The Populist movement mostly came from the people without any help of the government; on the other hand, the Progressive movement received many agreements and supports from the President of the United States itself. Although they had differences, their goal was always to secure a better future for the people, the workers, and labors. The Populist and Progressive movement were for the

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In the 1900s, the Populist movement and the Progressive movement were mass movements provoked by the wide gap between the rich and the poor in America. Both movements were organized during industrialization and urbanization, but their origins and plans differed. The Progressive side had a kinder approach towards their long list of goals for social change; this resulted with more successful achievements of their goals, unlike the more radical Populist movement. The Populist movement was more radical in the way they planned to execute their objectives. Consisting mostly of farmers from the Midwest, they viewed monopoly and industrialization as competition for their agricultural trade and based their movement to counter its effects.

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Between 1865 and 1900, Industrialization changed the way America continued about advancing. It brought about industries such as the railroads, steel and oil that generated jobs and opportunities, as well as economic wealth. Although these times were great for some - mainly the millionaires gaining fortune from their businesses and poor immigrants who found better lives in America than there were in their home countries - others, like the farmers and industrial workers, found a hard time making a living in the new, fast paced America. Farmers and industrial workers responded to the cruelness of industrialization by politically, financially, and socially.

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The populists started from farmers and grew into a national movement and political party. It all started with Oliver Kelly and the grange of the patrons of husbandry. The patrons of husbandry promoted economic and political well being of community and agriculture. The populist party was organized in st. Louis in 1892.

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How populism is different from traditionalist and individualistic is that populism in Texas focuses on economic justice. The populism party was formed by the Farmers Alliance movement and the party’s main focus was using government power to protect individuals from the exploitation of big business and corporations. Texas is a state with many factors that play a role in shaping the political culture of the state such as its

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131 Words | 1 Pages

However, trust in a state elected senate eroded over time. Because of legislative deadlock, instances of corruption in the election of senators, and a slow move to populism, the public eventually began to resent the method in which senators were chosen. Although the constitution stated in Article I Section 3 that senators were to be chosen by state legislatures, it was unclear about how that selection should happen. In the late 19th century, states consistently failed to elect their senators because of this grey area. This was the result of political parties dividing state legislatures to the point where they could not agree on a singular candidate and between 1885 and 1900 alone the states of West Virginia, Louisiana, Montana, Washington and

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