Why does deflation hurt farmers

In , neither the Republicans nor the Democrats would support the demands of the farmers. So the farmers had to organize a new political party. The farmers called their new party the People's Party or the Populist Party. Its main goal was to get some inflation. In the election of , there were three parties. The Democratic candidate, Grover Cleveland, won. The Populists won in only six states. They only elected twelve senators and congressmen.

This election showed very clearly that the farmers did not have enough strength and their political organizations began to fall apart. By , prices for grain began to go up again because people in Europe were buying more wheat.

By , all of the free land in the West was taken. After that, if people wanted a farm, they had to buy the land from another farmer.

The more successful farmers began buying the land of their poorer neighbors. The poorer farmers who sold their land went to work in the cities. Today, only about 2 percent of the American people are farmers. After the Civil War, the number of immigrants from Europe began to increase.

This was the beginning of a great wave of immigration that was to last until the beginning of World War I. By , half of the workers in American factories were immigrants. Some people came to get free land in the West. Many more came to work in the new factories and mines that were being opened. Prelude to Populism: Origins of the Silver Issue , New Haven: Yale University Press, About the Author.

Bibliography Burnham, Walter Dean. Postel, Charles. The Populist Vision. New York: Oxford University Press, May 17, Inflation would make it easier for the farmers to pay off their debts. Explanation: Farmers need to borrow large sums of money. Related questions Which foreign policy from the early s expanded on the goals of the Monroe Doctrine? Who did the Republican Party nominate for president in ? What led to the rise of the Populist movement, and what effect did it have?

Which theme was common to the diplomatic policies of presidents Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson? How did rural electrification improve conditions for farmers in the Tennessee Valley?

Who were the three candidates for President in , and who won? Grocers such as Supervalu Inc. Even when the volume of products increased, profits have decreased in some categories because the price declines were so steep. Not all food has gotten cheaper. Total fruit and vegetable prices were up 1. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Write to Heather Haddon at heather.

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