 The Farmer-Labor movement in Minnesota is an unlikely
coalition of two seemingly disparate groups, rural and urban, that found common cause and united in
pursuit of their goals. 1910-1945 was a turbulent period in Minnesota, a time of economic distress for
farmers and city workers alike. Drought and the Great Depression brought havoc to wheat farmers of the
region: prices for their product plummeted, and farm foreclosures meant ruin. In the city, jobs were
scarce and wages low. Laborers -- those fortunate enough to have work -- fought for fair wages and against
unfair laws that prohibited unionization. Out of that ferment, a coalition of reformers and radicals formed
the "Farmer-Labor Party," a designation it used on the ballot for its candidates who were neither Republican
nor Democratic. The name changed, in 1924 to the Farmer-Labor Federation, and later to the Farmer-Labor
Association.
Third parties in American politics are not noted for their longevity, but this group proved an exception to the
rule. Taking root in soil planted earlier by the Nonpartisan League, it gained power, even prevailing in
state and congressional elections over candidates of the two major parties. In 1943, the Farmer-Labor Party
merged with the Democratic Party to form the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party of Minnesota.
|
