Third Parties Reforms

Although only two major parties are often acknowledged, third parties have played a major role in the development of the American government. According to “Third Parties and Reform” by Mary Lou Conlin, three major third parties have been the most influential: the Workingmen’s Party, the Free-Soil Party, and the Populist Party. These parties pushed forward progress in the working field, the civil rights field, and the business field. The Workingmen’s Party strived for better conditions for workers. They reformed the length of the work day, debt imprisonment laws, and public education. Their ideas were popular in big cities where industry was a major part of the economy. Over time, the Democratic Party persuaded the Workingmen’s Party into joining them. Today, the Democratic Party supports workers by having shorter work days and more public education available. While the Workingmen’s Party did not stand on its own for much time, it introduced new ideas on the conditions of workers. Because of this, it was one of the most influential third parties. The Free-Soil Party fought for different reforms than the Workingmen’s Party. The Free-Soil Party fought for providing civil rights. In its beginning, the party was not able to gain major control. However, it attracted the attention of the Republican Party, formerly …show more content…
The Populist Party opposed big businesses that hurt farmers and workers. The Populist Party, like the Workingmen’s Party, did not gain enough votes to win elections, but it did attract the attention of larger parties. The Republican Party pushed anti-trust legislation under Theodore Roosevelt, and the Democratic Party ended several trusts and monopolies, such as Standard Oil, U.S. Steel, and the American Tobacco Company. Today, both parties have limited the power of big businesses by either direct control or worker rights, so the Populist Party was successful in its