The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Populism in the Land of Oz
Populism 1. Populism- movement to increase farmers’ political power and work toward legislation to represent their interests.
Kansas 2. Kansas: People’s Party Kansas Alliance forms the People’s Party of Populists Attempt to get Populists elected for congress Work with Southern Democrats
Tornado 3. Tornado Scene: Panic of 1893 Harms livelihood Crop prices fall Borrow money from banks at high interest rates Join cooperatives (The Grange, Farmers’ Alliance) Farmers can’t charge higher prices because too many farmers are competing
Munchkinland 4. Munchkinland Glinda, the Good Witch of the North (Sister, Witch of the South) North and South were supportive regions for populism Help Dorothy and her friends Wicked Witch of the East: Banks/Business Lent money to farmers at high interest rates Perpetuated farmers’ financial struggle Wicked Witch of the West: Railroads High shipping costs that contributed to the Panic of 1893 Continued through the recession by over-charging farmers for shipping (“I’ll get you my pretty”)
Munchkinland Ruby Slippers: Silver Yellow Brick Road: Gold Standard Farmers wanted silver to help increase the money supply Combat deflation and falling prices of goods Yellow Brick Road: Gold Standard Monometallism- gold used as the only standard for monetary value
Scarecrow 5. Scarecrow: Farmers “If I only had a brain”- Uneducated Can’t fix what ails them Need a more knowledgeable person to help
Tin Man 6. Tin Man: Industrial Workers Highly mechanized machines of industry Rusted solid= stop in production after Panic of 1893 Use Oil to get him moving again (Rockefeller’s Standard Oil) “If I Only Had a Heart”- Dehumanization of industrial labor, another cog in the machine
Cowardly Lion 7. Cowardly Lion: William Jennings Bryan Democrat Supported populist interests Coinage of Silver End high tariffs Hold crops so market isn’t flooded with supply 16oz. silver = 1oz. gold 8-hour work day Immigration restrictions Graduated income tax: tax those with higher earnings more
Cowardly Lion “Load roar, no bite.” Election of 1896 WJB nominated to run for Democrats Appealed to farmers William McKinley nominated to run for Republicans- appealed to urban workers McKinley wins
Emerald City 8. Emerald City: Washington D.C. Emerald indicative of “Greenbacks” Going to the Emerald City to see the Wizard Coxey’s Army Jacob Coxey leads march on Washington Attempt to appeal to the President to help the farmers in need Wizard of Oz: Government, William McKinley Revealed to be nothing more than a common man Fraud Deception Trickery Oz: Abbreviation for unit of gold measurement
Dorothy 9. Dorothy and “There’s No Place Like Home” Naïve Innocent Returns home without the slippers: abandonment of the silver issue Hopeful spirit brought back to the Plains people
The End Scarecrow rules Emerald City Tin Man rules West Farm interests achieved national importance Tin Man rules West Industry moves westward Lion protects forest creatures William Jennings Bryan goes back to politics