PopulismA Farmer’s Movement

The Farmer’s Plight 1/3 of Americans were ag workers ↑ costs, ↓ prices, parasites, ↑ interest

rates South – 1/3 tenant farmers Farmers angry with railroad companies,

bankers, industrial monopolists, gold standard

↑ productivity also forced down prices, globalization

Protests Granger Movement – 1867 – farmers

developed a cooperative type movement

1870’s – Greenback Party – wanted the end of a gold/silver standard

1875 – Farmer’s Alliance (similar to a union) 1892 – Formed the Populist Party

William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) Nicknamed the “Great Commoner”

Supported women’s rights Farmers and workers

Considered a populist Democrat “progressive in politics, conservative in

religion”