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The Agrarian Revolt

From Stalemate to Crisis. The Agrarian Revolt. The Grangers. The first major effort to organize farmers was the Grange movement of 1860s first goals were to teach new scientific techniques and provide a social outlet for farmers

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The Agrarian Revolt

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  1. From Stalemate to Crisis The Agrarian Revolt

  2. The Grangers • The first major effort to organize farmers was the Grange movement of 1860s • first goals were to teach new scientific techniques and provide a social outlet for farmers • The 1873 recession and fall of farm prices shifted the Grange’s focus to become highly political • Grange membership skyrocketed during this time • Grange urged cooperative political action to: • fight monopolistic railroad and warehouse practices • setup up co-op stores and insurance companies • Established Montgomery Ward mail-order business • Sought to challenge middle-men • Politicians associated with the Grange movement were elected to some state legislatures in the 1870s • They focused on railroad reform • Any regulations that were passed were destroyed by courts • A temporary economic boom in the late-1870s decimated the Grange

  3. The Farmers’ Alliance • Farmers’ Alliances formed in the South and Northwest • Like the Grange, they focused on local problems • co-op banks • processing plants • larger goal to create society of cooperation. • Like the Grange, cooperatives were not very successful, but they harnessed frustrations into creating national political organization in the 1880s • In 1889 the Southern and Northwestern Alliances merged • issued Ocala Demands (party platform) • won seats in 1890 elections • Sentiments forming toward national third party • In 1892 the People’s Party (Populists) was created • In 1892 elections Populists did surprising well, won seats in states and Congress

  4. The Populist Constituency • Populism appealed mainly to small farmers • Small farmers’ farms were becoming less viable due to mechanized, consolidated commercial agriculture • Populists failed to attract much labor support, but attracted miners in Rocky Mountain states w/ “free silver” policy • “Free silver” allowed for silver to be currency, expanding money supply. • African Americans were allowed limited involvement in the South

  5. Populist Ideas • Ocala platform 1892 outlined Populist reform programs • “subtreasuries” to strengthen cooperatives • government warehouse system • abolish national banks • direct election of US Senators • regulation and government ownership of railroads • Regulation and government ownership of telephones • graduated income tax • currency inflation • silver monetization • 8 hour work day • Rejection of laissez-faire economics

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