Question

Compare and contrast the Omaha platform of 1892 and the Progressive party platform of 1912.

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Both platforms were designed to help the disadvantaged, most notably farmers and industrial workers. Both platforms also had ideas that were picked up by mainstream Democrat and Republican presidential candidates.
The Populist Omaha platform called for more silver to be put into circulation. This was meant to give farmers more access to credit. It also called for an end to privately-owned banks and an income tax. It called for the direct election of senators as well as the eight-hour work day.
The Progressive platform of 1912 was led by Theodore Roosevelt, who took up the party's cause after the Republicans abandoned him at their nominating convention in favor of William Howard Taft. Like the Populists, the Progressives called for an eight-hour work day as well as farm relief. It also called for the direct election of senators. Since the silver issue died with William Jennings Bryan's failure in the 1896 election, it was not part of the Progressive platform of 1912. The Progressive platform also did not call for the nationalization of banks, but it was in favor of social insurance and a national health service. It was also in favor of a securities commission as well as women's suffrage, an issue which was becoming important at the time.
Many of the Populist ideas were popular in 1892, a period of economic trouble in the agricultural and industrial sector. By 1912, the economy had improved and there were more social issues prevalent in the Progressive platform. Many states had either ratified women's suffrage or were considering it by that time. The plight of workers was still an issue in 1912—this explains the need for the eight-hour work day and social insurance for the elderly. These two ideas would not become law until during the New Deal. Even though Roosevelt lost the election, senators would be directly elected and the United States would have an income tax in 1913.

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Compare and contrast the Omaha platform of 1892 and the Progressive party platform of 1912.

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