Reform Visions, 1880–1892

In the 1880s, radical farmers’ groups and the Knights of Labor provided a powerful challenge to industrialization. At the same time, groups such as the WCTU and urban settlements laid the groundwork for progressivism, especially among women. Though they had different goals, these groups confronted similar dilemmas upon entering politics. Should they work through existing political parties? Create new ones? Or generate pressure from the outside? Reformers tried all these strategies.