Question

Read this little document below and explain to me what it is about “This excerpt is from a secondary source about Populism.

As the People's party died, many of the
disillusioned dropped out of politics. This is part of the reason the percent of eligible voters to cast ballots in presidential races dropped thirty percent between 1896 and 1924. Others continued the egalitarian struggle by joining Eugene V. Debs in the Socialist party. Many, however, returned to the reform wings of their own parties. Several farmer demands [later] became law, . ..
namely monopoly regulation, banking/currency reform, and the graduated income tax. Populists had also advocated direct democracy with reforms such as the initiative and referendum. ... America, however, adopted Populist reforms selectively and piecemeal.
The result was hardly the egalitarian vision of Populism in its heyday. “

Answer 1

This excerpt is discussing the Populism movement in the United States. It mentions that as the People's party, a populist party, died out, many of its supporters dropped out of politics and voter turnout in presidential elections decreased. Some joined the Socialist party and others returned to the reform wings of their own parties. It also states that some of the demands of farmers, who were a large part of the Populist movement, such as monopoly regulation, banking/currency reform, and the graduated income tax, were later adopted into law. However, it notes that these reforms were adopted selectively and piecemeal and not as a cohesive, egalitarian vision as the Populists had originally envisioned.