A U.S. political party that sought to represent the interests of farmers and laborers in the 1890's, advocating increases in the creation and circulation of currency, free coinage of gold and silver, public ownership of railroads, and a graduated federal income tax.
The Populist Party (also known as the People's Party) was a short-lived political party in the United States in the late 19th century. It flourished particularly among western farmers, based largely on its opposition to the gold standard. Although the party did not remain a lasting feature of the political landscape, many of its positions have become adopted over the course of the following decades.