By 1890 the Populist Party became the third most successful party in the United States since before the Civil War. To understand this sudden change in the political sphere one must look at the factors that led to the rise of the populist movement. The Populist movement was an effort by lower-class citizens to gain more power and influence in American society, while simultaneously diminishing the power and influence of elites. The populist movement was led by farmers and workers from the South and West and targeted large corporations. The party's main platform called for government regulation and ownership of banks and railroads, women's suffrage, income tax on the wealthy, and called for the direct election of senators. Although the Party did not last, the reasons for its rise provide invaluable insight into conditions in the United States at the time. The rise of the populist movement can be attributed to the general grievances faced by farmers and workers, agrarian discontent and political dissent, the newfound globalization encountered due to new technologies, and the inclusive nature of the party itself. For farmers and workers in the 1880s-1990s, everyday life took a turn for the worse. They were now faced with numerous new problems that were negatively impacting their lives and they wanted to change that. Agrarian discontent included high taxes, tariffs that increased the cost of production, currency shortages, expensive middlemen, and falling cotton prices. Politically and socially, the power and influence held by corporations and businesses have grown at an exceptional rate, creating a huge gap between rich and poor. The lower class saw the gap growing and needed a platform to try to change their situation and the… 1890. Farmers were assimilated into the national economy, but the transition was not smooth as businesses began to control the flow of resources and goods and therefore farmers' profits. The robber barons and corporations they had held sway over government influenced government policy, creating hardship for the working class they wished to put an end to. Furthermore, the Populist Party was formed by the combination of numerous reformist groups, bringing together different races, workers and classes and uniting the West and the South. The Populist movement in the United States grew rapidly in the early 1890s, and although it did not prevail, the Populist Party's platforms influenced the policies of both Republicans and Democrats, thus having a negative effect on American society..