American Populism: A Social History 1877-1898

The author identifies "producerism" and "antimonopolism" as the core aspects of Populist (agrarian) thought. These themes extolled the virtues of the independent working man, fully able to produce his own and society's well-being without being dependent upon or under the control of others. It is doubtful that this idyllic state has ever been achieved in America, but there is no doubt that in the 1870s and 80s small farmers in the Plains states and in the South suffered from the vicissitudes of both natural and economic forces undermining any sense of being in control of their economic destinies.This book explores the actions of besieged rural Americans, first through cooperative efforts based on dense community ties, and then through political efforts, to counter the forces of industrialization. It is a complex story involving a variety of agrarian and labor organizations, though dominated by the National Farmers' Alliance with its beginnings in western Texas in 1878 and to some extent the Knights of Labor, ranging from the far West, through the Plains and the Midwest, and through the entire southern belt. Agrarian reformers were forever in a contest with the forces of orthodoxy from community values to the agendas of the Democratic and Republican parties; a contest that they would eventually lose.The author admits to drawing upon the vast work of historians concerning Populism or agrarianism. The book is somewhat complementary to the work of Lawrence Goodwyn, author of the "Democratic Promise. He finds little agreement with those who view Populists as reactionaries, unwilling to accept the demands of progress.While Goodwyn finds the core of Populism to be located in the southern Farmers' Alliance and is somewhat dismissive of agrarian movements in other regions, McMath is more generous in his estimation of the forces of reform in the western and northern plains. In addition, he pays more attention to organizations and movements that were forerunners to the agrarian movement. They both agree that the demise of the Alliance and the Knights of Labor eroded a base of activism and undermined the chances that the Populist Party could succeed.Despite its relative brevity, this book is a highly readable and insightful overview of the Populist movement. It is an excellent introduction to Populism. And it contains an extensive bibliographical essay for further reading.

As has been said of the role of "Hamlet," every era gets its version of Populist history. To Hicks, they were the forerunners of the New Deal. To Woodward, they possessed a fleeting opportunity at biracial coalition. To Hofstatder, they were proto-fascists. To Larry Goodwyn, they possessed a vision of a just society. To Michael Schwarz, they were radicals whose strength lay in direct action, not electioneering. The last word on the movement is far from being written and this book can only keep the reader current on the history and present state of research and interpretation. This it does wonderfully well, as well as presents a clear account of the emergence, rise and decline of the movement which synthesizes and recapitulates virtually all available histories on different aspects of the movement. I have to dissent from the reviewer below and say that I found McMath a clear and brisk writer--not in C. Vann Woodward's league, perhaps, but then...who is?--who brings the movement alive and elucidates its dynamic masterfully. If you have the least bit of curiosity about the movement, this is the first book you should read. The one significant criticism I have is that the author cuts off the narrative at 1898. In this manner, he avoids many--but by no means all--of th e more troublesome aspects of the movement and its participants. It would also seem that an additional chapter on populism's legacy through the twentieth century would be in order, encompassing as it does such diverse figures as Wright Patman, Huey Long, and George Wallace.Finally, to all who are interested in the issues surrounding the new global economy: Read this book! Study the Populists! You will gain much insight into the process of "development" since WWII and the struggles of people throughout the "less-developed world" for their livelihood. Indeed, I fancy that the ghosts of Tom Watson and Mary Lease were with those in Seattle marching against the WTO last year and in Washington against the World Bank and the IMF this year!

Mr. McMath has created a classic history about the populist movement. It begins in the 1860's and the cultural, social and economical conditions confronting the western and southern farmers. In an easy, but thorough manner, Robert McMath explains why and how these determined and proud people came to form the grange, the greenback movement, the farmer's alliance and finally the great people's party. He covers every aspect of the populist movement and brings to light some very sound and concrete conclusions of who these people were. In closing, he explains how this relates to today and exposes the false right-wing extremists of today who call themselves "populists". Populism was, is and will forevermore be the culmination of the famers' struggles of the 1800's and the political grandfather to the modern left-wing political movement of the United States. Buy this book!!! This has to sit on your bookshelf next to the wonderfull classics of populism by Goodwyn and Hicks, for it is the crowning achievement of the history of populism!!!