Question

In a 5-6 sentence paragraph, trace the economic and political impact of farmers' movements in the late 1800s.

Answer 1

In the late 1800s farmers’ movements arose as smallholders faced falling commodity prices, heavy debt, and predatory railroad and merchant practices, and they responded by organizing Granges, Farmers’ Alliances, and cooperative exchanges to lower costs and secure credit. Economically they pushed state Granger laws and commissions to regulate freight rates and sought cooperative marketing and storage (the subtreasury idea) to blunt middlemen and stabilize farm incomes. Their demand for inflationary monetary policy—“free silver”—and other debt-relief measures helped produce national legislation like the Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890) and shaped the bitter monetary debates of the 1890s. Politically the movements coalesced into the Populist (People’s) Party, which won state offices, influenced the major parties, and pressed for direct election of senators, a graduated income tax, government control or regulation of railroads and utilities, and other reforms. Though the Populists declined after 1896, their agenda pushed the national debate toward Progressive-era reforms and permanently shifted party politics to address rural and labor grievances.