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Difficulty: MediumGilded Age Politics and the Populist Movement

Read the excerpt and answer the question below.

"I do not believe that the power and duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit. A prevalent tendency to disregard the limited mission of this power and duty should, I think, be steadfastly resisted, to the end that the lesson should be constantly enforced that, though the people support the Government, the Government should not support the people."
—President Grover Cleveland, Veto of the Texas Seed Bill, 1887

Which of the following developments during the Gilded Age was a direct reaction against the political philosophy expressed in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The lobbying by industrial capitalists for the federal government to abolish protective tariffs in favor of pure free enterprise.
  2. B
    The mobilization of urban, middle-class reformers to establish municipal welfare systems and labor safety laws.
  3. The organization of rural reformers into the Populist Party to advocate for a stronger federal role in the economy.Answer
  4. D
    The passage of the Dawes Severalty Act to protect the communal land holdings of Native American tribes.

Answer

The organization of rural reformers into the Populist Party to advocate for a stronger federal role in the economy.
The correct option is correct because the Populist Party (or People's Party) was formed by farmers and rural reformers in response to Gilded Age economic hardships. They directly challenged the prevailing laissez-faire ideology, exemplified by President Cleveland's veto, by demanding federal intervention in the economy, including the nationalization of railroads, a graduated income tax, and direct relief for producers.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the political philosophy expressed in the veto message by President Grover Cleveland.
Cleveland expresses a strict laissez-faire ideology, arguing that the federal government should not provide direct economic relief to individuals.
Understanding the source's main argument is necessary to identify the opposing movement.
2
Identify the Gilded Age group or development that actively opposed this laissez-faire stance and demanded federal relief.
Southern and Western farmers organized the Farmers' Alliance and eventually the Populist (People's) Party to advocate for direct government intervention and relief.
This connects the agrarian protest movements to the reaction against laissez-faire government policies.
3
Evaluate the options to find the one that correctly identifies the Populist reaction while avoiding common misconceptions.
The Populist Party's demand for a stronger federal role in the economy represents a direct rejection of Cleveland's limited government philosophy.
Selecting the option that reflects agrarian activism matches the historical reaction.

Key Concept

Agrarian responses to Gilded Age laissez-faire policies and the rise of the Populist Party.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Gilded Age Politics and the Populist Movement

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