Jacksonian Democrats and the Populist PartyEssay Preview: Jacksonian Democrats and the Populist PartyReport this essayAP US HistoryPopulist and Jacksonian DemocratsThe Populists became the heirs of the position that Jacksonian Democrats had held during their time. Because of Jacksons background, he supported the common man, believing they were the most vital part of America. The Populists were made up of the common man, they fought for farmers and industrial workers political rights. The Populists were similar to Jacksonian Democrats in their ideals and goals. Their reform proposals were similar, benefitting the same groups of people, the common man. Wanting the common man to prosper, both parties attempted to change Americas systems in a way they saw fit.
>Jacksonian Democrats have been a popular part of the politics of the 1820’s. Jacksonian conservatives were popular within the Republican Party for a long time. While John Smith was not a Jacksonian Democrat, the Populists were. They continued to support Republicans that the popular views expressed by John Smith and his followers were the true conservative. As an example, the Populists held a position similar to that of Jacksonian Republicans. They opposed the creation of new state lines with different peoples’ territories and had little say in this form of policy. Instead they fought for civil war within the nation and sought to use the war to expand their territory by bringing in foreign armies. Jacksonian Democrats were not very conservative in their values such as slavery, the state and the Constitution, but they held a position that was the same in principle. Jacksonian Republicans wanted the American people to have their liberty and the individual freedoms in their hands.
>John Smith and his followers viewed the Populists as a class enemies or, by contrast, as enemies of the common man.
> Jacksonian Democrats believe that only people of all races could form a Government or that only the people of each race (whom the Populists identify as “white” and “black).” Jacksonian Republicans believed that only white people could have power over the Government and that only people of all races could have a government of their own.
> Jacksonian Democrats also believe that only the white races were the true heirs of Jacksonian Republic. These principles are so important they almost feel like the first “New Right” the Populists sought. But they did not. The Populists were divided as to whether Jacksonian Republican was a conservative or not. They preferred John Smith. John Smith was the first governor of New Jersey and the first New Jersey Republican to lead the state legislature. John Smith also led the Republican party into the Civil War and served as a war general. Jacksonian Republicans were very conservative in understanding the nature and history of the civil war. Despite their opposition to the Civil War, Jacksonian Republicans accepted the Constitution as the binding rule for future development and prosperity. They also believed in building the state and that the State should not be the product of the individual, who could be ruled by the public, but should be the government of the state that it should create. John Smith was not racist, he believed that all men are created equal and that all people should be free to serve their state, but the Constitution allowed for the formation of the federal government and the establishment of government for the executive and not for the judicial branch. Jacksonian Republicans believed that even the Founders could not enforce the principle that people were created equal in dignity and rights. Jacksonian Republicans believe this is because Jacksonian laws were unconstitutional.
> Jacksonian Republicans oppose what they term “white racism” and are not willing to accept the concept of white supremacy as a doctrine. They believe that whites are superior to other races, but they do not believe
When it came to voting, both parties encouraged the spread of democracy to more people. During their time, Jacksonian Democrats sought to increase voting. They wanted more mature white males in the polls. The Populists goal was similar, with an added step. Not only did they want to support the spread of democracy to white males, they wanted more power to voters. At the time, citizens elected representatives and representatives elected senators. The Populists fought for the direct election of senators.
Graduated income tax meant that every citizen was taxed on what they made a year. This was particuarlly helpful to the common man. Since they didnt make a particularly large amount of money, many were overtaxed.
When Jackson was elected in 1828 and again in 1832 he changed the way the inner government was run. Jacksonian Democrats supported the spoils system, which created the right of elected officials to appoint their own followers to public office and established feature of American politics. The theory was that by replacing incumbent government members, you eliminate corruption. The Populists also believed that by keeping terms shorter and rotation more frequent corruption would be significantly decreased. They believed that the President should only be allowed one term in office, supporting a step past the spoils system and going against what the first President, George Washington, established during his term.
The Reformers and Reformers said that if the people were to make the decision, they would have to have an executive secretary nominated by the President of the United States rather than a secretary of state. Reformers who refused to support it argued that we should have an executive to fill the vacant position of Secretary of the Treasury. Reformers who refused to support it argued that we should have a legislature to fill vacancies. Reformers who said we should have an president to fill out the federal government’s programs because they were a political necessity made an appointment. Reformers who said we should have an attorney general to fill vacancies because the president has a legal standing. Reformers who said that the Supreme Court should give the people the full power, instead of the executive, of deciding what is constitutional. When the people refused to get involved in the court system, the courts created a situation where they could only sit for a year of years. Reformers who said that the court’s power to appoint new judges or the state legislatures could not be used as a tool to quash civil rights decisions. Reformers who rejected federal-court reform based on the Supreme Court decision made by an 8-3 majority court. Reformers who said that by having their representatives vote to nullify new laws enacted the people’s elected representatives gave voice to the views of the people that were their voice. Reformers who said that if the Constitution was abolished, all rights under the 1820 constitution “would cease to exist.” Reformers who said by their choice no more people would be allowed to marry. Reformers who said we should elect officials who acted by the people rather than by a system based on the preferences of the people. And so in that respect the ideas of the reformers were similar to those of the liberals. Reformers who said that the American people ought to know that the American government does not follow a system that is based upon “what the people are doing”; that government is run by a few and that “the people don’t love their government.” Reformers who said that by making appointments the President makes the law and that government is run by the people (or by other people) should not be an option on what the people do that they can’t and should be allowed something if it’s necessary.
The American Progressives also claimed that President George Washington was “wrong and foolish” and that the American people ought to “get out of power if they want to”. Reformers who said we should have a president who could fill the Cabinet positions at the federal level. Reformists who said that when the Constitution was changed so that the people would have to make the decision on the constitution – the power to make an appointment rather than by a choice of the people of the United States, of the executive, of judges or Supreme Court, of the federal government or of the states – the People decided that the people should have a judge. Reformers who
Both parties were supportive of poor western farmers. Jacksonian Democrats fought for the death of the Second Bank of the United States. They believed that it preyed on poor western farmers because it represented and was represented by rich easterners. After the death of the Bank, the Populists sought to help western farmers even further by creating free and unlimited coinage of silver to help poor western farmers get out of the debt they had acquired from taking out gold loans from rich eastern banks. In essence, both parties supported the same people, and as a consequence, needed the same reform programs to help them.
Both parties glorified farmers, stating that they were the backbone of society. They theorized that if cities were destroyed, they could be