Populists and Progressives 1900 to 1920 After Laissez-Faire

Populists and Populists and ProgressivesProgressives

1900 to 19201900 to 1920

After Laissez-FaireAfter Laissez-Faire

Populists and ProgressivesPopulists and Progressives

Before the Progressive movement took over in Before the Progressive movement took over in the cities there were the Populists on the farmsthe cities there were the Populists on the farms

PopulistsPopulists: : FarmersFarmers who in the early 1900s who in the early 1900s wanted to limit the power of big business and wanted to limit the power of big business and railroad owners and grant more rights to railroad owners and grant more rights to individual workersindividual workers


People living in rural life felt isolated and alone and People living in rural life felt isolated and alone and joined organizations to help each other through the joined organizations to help each other through the hard times in the late 1800shard times in the late 1800s

They were losing control of their farms or small They were losing control of their farms or small business to big business and the railroad and asked business to big business and the railroad and asked the govthe gov’’t for helpt for help

Would the govWould the gov’’t help them before 1900?t help them before 1900?


If you canIf you can’’t beat them, t beat them, join themjoin them

Little govLittle gov’’t help t help resulted in the populists resulted in the populists forming their own forming their own political party political party

The Populist Party!The Populist Party!


Populist PartyPopulist Party: A political party fighting for : A political party fighting for farmers rights against big business owners and farmers rights against big business owners and the railroadthe railroad

What did they want?What did they want?

free silver, graduated income tax, a govfree silver, graduated income tax, a gov’’t t owned railroadowned railroad


Free Silver would make money more valuable Free Silver would make money more valuable so farmers could pay off their debts easierso farmers could pay off their debts easier

This became the chief issue in the election of This became the chief issue in the election of 18961896



The Populist Party slowly disappears after two The Populist Party slowly disappears after two presidential election defeats (1896, 1900) but presidential election defeats (1896, 1900) but their ideas spread to the cities their ideas spread to the cities

Soon the work of the Populists are picked up Soon the work of the Populists are picked up by labor unions and the common worker by labor unions and the common worker (Progressives)(Progressives)

Populist and ProgressivesPopulist and Progressives

Who were the Progressives?Who were the Progressives?

OptimistsOptimists

City DwellersCity Dwellers

Middle/Lower ClassMiddle/Lower Class


Who helped them?Who helped them?

Volunteer OrganizationsVolunteer Organizations

Magazines and NewspapersMagazines and Newspapers

Improved EconomyImproved Economy



What did they fight for?What did they fight for?

Better: living conditions, mandatory education Better: living conditions, mandatory education for children, healthcarefor children, healthcare

Women and African American rights (NAACP)Women and African American rights (NAACP) The govThe gov’’t to end Laissez-Fairet to end Laissez-Faire Regulate big business/better working Regulate big business/better working

conditionsconditions

Documents

Populists and Progressives 1900 to 1920 After Laissez-Faire