1. The Farmers and the Populist Movement

2. The Political Spectrum
Liberals Tend To:
Conservatives Tend To:
Turn to the government to solve economic problems
Turn to business the market to solve economic problems
Favor government regulation of business
Oppose government regulation of business
Oppose larger defense budgets
Support larger defense budgets
Favor more government spending to solve economic problems
Oppose more government spending
Favor high taxes on rich people
Oppose higher taxes on rich people
Favor political and economic change
Oppose political and economic change
Democrat
Republican

3. Populism or the People’s Party
Coalition of farmers and laborers
Put government into the hands of the people
Support the idea of silver and gold as legal tender
Farmers thought this would help raise the price of crops

4. Farmer’s Problems Too many farmers Farmers in debt to banks
Surplus causes prices to drop
Farmers in debt to banks
Pay for new agricultural tools
High transportation costs
Temporary drought

5. The Solutions The Grange Support the Populist Party
Force government to regulate transportation rates
Division of profits
Stop high interest of loans
Support the Populist Party

6. The election of 1896 William Jennings Bryan (Populist-Democrat)
William McKinley
Supported by big business
JD Rockefeller donates $250,000
Wins because workers/laborers are divided by geography

7. Economic Result Gold is found and money put into the currency
Farmers slowly regain profits