Question

How did the Populist seek to rethink the relationship between freedom and government to address the crisis of the 1890s? How did their platform seek to guarantee freedom?

Answer 1

The populists wanted the government to serve the "common man" as opposed to simply the wealthy and elite, so they sought to elect people who would make sure that their interests (freedom) were being taken seriously. 

Answer 2

They believed that what was freedom at that time was only freedom for people who were wealthy elites who often worked together with the government. They wanted to bring the term freedom to mean freedom for common people who weren't wealthy and couldn't fight the government in any way. Their platform wanted to help them achieve economic independence and prosperity which would help them free themselves from wealthy land and company owners.