Rise Of The Populist Movement Changed The American Political System

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The rise of the Populist movement in America from 1865-1920 changed the American political system in a way that had a major impact on the country and changed the American political system to a great extent. From, creating a Populist Party with some successful candidates, to then have a lasting change and influence on the Democratic Party. The Populist movement changed the American Political system greatly and had a large effect on rural farmers and settlers out west. It marked a major turning point in the politics that the farmers and the advocates of the Populist movement supported. They saw their beliefs and ideas become more mainstream and eventually be discussed by the major political parties in America. The effects of the Populist …show more content…

The other was Tom Watson, who the Populist political party nominated as their candidate for president. Because there had been two candidates supporting Populist ideas during the election some believed that was the reason that the Republican candidate won. The outcome of the election and what the Populists did not expect was the major national party realignment which, in turn, made the Republicans the dominant party for the next 36 years. The dominance of the Republican Party almost thanks to the Populist movement had a large effect on how the country grew and changed and even how the country functions today. Furthermore, the Populist movement changed significantly the mold of American politics especially the beliefs of the Democratic Party in particular. The movement made a major change in the support that the Democratic party eventually got from the rural farmers out west too. The Populist movement changed American politics in such an impactful way by changing what was normal for political parties at the time. It changed what was normal for political parties at the time because it confronted real issues that the main parties …show more content…

Even though the Populist movement did create a change in American Politics before and after the Populist movement there was a two party system and that stayed the same in America, even after the effects of the Populist movement the tradition has continued on until today. Also one big idea that the Populist movement was adamant on was replacing the gold standard with cheap silver, but, as the populist supported candidate for president Williams Jennings Bryan did not win the gold standard stayed the same before and after the Populist movement until later when paper money was introduced. So, even though the Populist movement did have a significant change in American politics the two party system stayed the same, the way that currency worked stayed the same, and also the allocation for private ownership of transportation and communication stayed the same as