The primary danger faced by farmers in the 1880s was economic exploitation by wealthy members and institutions in society. The late 1800s were a time of monopolies: farmers who wanted to send their crops to cities had to pay the railroads a steep price, as there was no competition. Additionally, the United States' use of both gold and silver led to inflation and devaluation of both metals at different points, making it hard to keep currency standard. This led to the rise of the Populist Movement, which advocated for poor Americans, primarily farmers, by arguing that modern politicians were out of touch.