After the Civil War, farmers struggled with declining crop prices, railroad monopolies, and debt. The Grange, a national farm organization, tried to help by establishing farmer-owned cooperatives and lobbying for "Granger Laws" to regulate railroad rates. While successful at first, the Grange lost members as the economy improved. The Populist Party emerged to politically represent angry farmers, campaigning for issues like free silver, income taxes, and nationalizing railroads to help farmers financially and give more political power to ordinary citizens. Though it did not win elections, the Populist Party influenced the major political parties to adopt populism positions.
