by Nick Maziarka

Created on: July 15, 2009   Last Updated: July 30, 2009

Popular Populism. For a Time...

Often passion can serve as a catalyst for any organization's success. Unfortunately, the passionate drive alone does not ensure the type of success that sees the end of the day. Despite initial popularity, an emotionally driven, fierce party fades away after hitting its inevitable roadblocks.

The Populist Party of the 1880s and 1890s followed suit in imitating a supernova. Given the enormous number of distraught farmers during this time period, it is no wonder that the Populist Party gained such a large backing, full of supportive individuals. It is also no surprise that it faded away so quickly, albeit not as quickly as the platform's complete sense of logic. Catapulted into fame and popularity by intense agrarian unhappiness, the Populist movement enjoyed a short life, as it quickly turned sour with its selfish, passionate, and sometimes illogical motives.

The seeds of the agricultural Populist movement were planted by farmers, majorities of whom were feeling the effects of capitalism. Monopolies put agrarians in a bad place, in terms of prices and finding labor. Most notably, wheat growers were suffering from the low prices presented by a world market. It was hard for them to make money when they had to sell their product at such low prices. They were certainly in desperate times, as well, as they had quite a bit of debt left to pay. Such debts could never be paid off without the miracle of inflation.

Inflationary ideas were ones that grew in many Populists' minds and led to one of the most controversial parts of their platform. Many farmers, hurt by the gold standard and its inability to, at the time, raise the money supply, hoped to turn to a new metal. They hoped to turn to silver, and they hoped that it would be coined without limit. Certainly, this plan would result in inflation, much needed by the farmers. Other problems existed with this plan, however.

Despite the hare-brained plan for the unlimited coinage of silver, Populists grew in popularity due to several other aspects of their platform. Their support of a graduated income tax, government-owned railroads and direct senatorial elections, proved more popular and far less hated than their support of silver.

The general stand against the corruption of capitalism also helped the Populist party rise. If the general platform wasn't enough, then surely the voices of the popular speakers Mary Elizabeth Lease and Ignatius Donnelly, helped the party build steam in its early

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