Populist Farmers Research Paper
The populist Farmers were farmers that were generally angry over the increased amount of city industrialization and the decrease in agricultural farm land. Most farmers believed they were the reason America became successful and as developed as it is today. However, they believed that their original American government was being taken away from them. The developments that affected the farmers the most were factories, banks, and railroads. Farmers believed the developers tried to take away all of the hard earned money from them. The money spent on the equipment to take care of the crops and shipping in the long run was decreasing the farmers’ overall income as the cities’ industrialization grew. Most farmers borrowed money to afford taking care
of the crops. These farmers were also considered to be debtors; they had to pay back all of the banks that they owed money to in addition to interest payments. In spite of the fact that their incomes fell, they were expected to make these payments. In an article called The Farmers, The Populist Party, and Mississippi written by Kenneth G McCarty, he states, “Statistics validate their belief as the price of agricultural produce did fall drastically during the closing decades of the 19th century. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, from 1870 to 1897, wheat prices fell from $1.06 a bushel to 63¢ a bushel, corn from 43¢ to 30¢ a bushel, and cotton from 15¢ a pound to 6¢ a pound. Most of the time farmers received even less for their produce” (Farmers, The Populist Party, and Mississippi, McCarty). As a result, most farmers either lost their land or were barely able to afford their land. The farmers that were highly affected by the industrialization ended up forming a new political party in 1892, called the Populist Party. The doctrine of the party was that the American government had truly been taken over by the larger new industrialized businesses. The Populists believed that there are repercussions needed to retake control of the government, and they need to take action to receive an outcome.
of the crops. These farmers were also considered to be debtors; they had to pay back all of the banks that they owed money to in addition to interest payments. In spite of the fact that their incomes fell, they were expected to make these payments. In an article called The Farmers, The Populist Party, and Mississippi written by Kenneth G McCarty, he states, “Statistics validate their belief as the price of agricultural produce did fall drastically during the closing decades of the 19th century. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, from 1870 to 1897, wheat prices fell from $1.06 a bushel to 63¢ a bushel, corn from 43¢ to 30¢ a bushel, and cotton from 15¢ a pound to 6¢ a pound. Most of the time farmers received even less for their produce” (Farmers, The Populist Party, and Mississippi, McCarty). As a result, most farmers either lost their land or were barely able to afford their land. The farmers that were highly affected by the industrialization ended up forming a new political party in 1892, called the Populist Party. The doctrine of the party was that the American government had truly been taken over by the larger new industrialized businesses. The Populists believed that there are repercussions needed to retake control of the government, and they need to take action to receive an outcome.