Populist Party Research Paper

370 Words1 Page

The Populist Party strongly supported the direct election of U.S. Senators and continued to make it a part of their party's platform. The Populist Party aimed to represent the common folk and, therefore, wanted Americans to have more say in elections. Direct election of senators would not only make America more democratic, but also decrease the chances of corruption. The system of election by state legislatures caused corruption as many potential senators would bribe legislators for their votes in order to secure themselves a spot in the senate. This idea of direct democracy led to the creation of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution which caused citizens, rather than democratic majorities, to elect Senators. This push for direct democracy

Open Document