The Populists Party was the most important 3rd party in American history. Even though their platform was incredibly radical and shocked people at the time, later movements like the Progressives, will pick up their issues and turn them into law. It was like the Populists were needed to shock the people and dull them so later movements could use them. It was the Populists that first asked for direct elections of senators, income tax, women’s suffrage and prohibition. Populists were radical, the Progressives took their radical ideas and tempered them to much more acceptable to the people.
Historically Speaking 