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Populism In The Gilded Age Essay

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The Gilded Age was a period of great industrial and economic growth in the United States. Major social and political difficulties, mainly for the working class and farmers, were evident throughout this period. In contrast to these problems, the People's Party, also known as the Populist Movement, was formed to accomplish political, social, and economic changes. Two of the main causes of the rise of populism in the 1890s were the accumulation of money and power in the hands of powerful businesses, in addition to the negative effects of technology on the lives of farmers and workers. The concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a select few was one of the main causes of populism's developments in the 1890s. The formation of a new class …show more content…

Additionally, they favored the building of a postal savings bank system that would have given working-class Americans a safe place to save their money, as well as a national banking system that would have given farmers and small companies access to finance. The negative impact of technology on the lives of farmers and workers was a major factor in the growth of populism in the 1890s. With the introduction of new technologies like the steam-powered reaper and thresher, the Gilded Age saw a great increase in technology. Since they were unable to compete with the huge, automated farms, these machines increased the productivity and efficiency of farming but also resulted in the displacement of many farmers. The growth of the industrial system also led to the loss of skilled crafts, which were taken over by fewer workers. By supporting laws that would relieve workers and farmers, the populists aimed to solve these problems. They fought for the formation of a system of workers' protection that would have provided financial support to wounded workers and called for the introduction of a system of agricultural education and improvement for industrial farms as well as a government-run rural free delivery

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