Populism… …is a belief in the power of regular people, and in their right to have control over their government rather than a small group of political insiders or a wealthy elite. The word populism comes from the Latin word for "people," populus.

Populism and The Wizard of Oz

An Allegory? People believe that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is an allegory about populism. People think that the characters represent different aspects of the Populism Movement.

Why do they think this?

Metaphor 1 The Wicked Witch of the East: represented eastern industrialists and bankers who controlled the people (the munchkins).

Metaphor 2 The Scarecrow represented the wise, but naive western farmer.

Metaphor 3 The Tin Man represented the dehumanized industrial worker.

Metaphor 4 The Cowardly Lion was William Jennings Bryan, Populist presidential candidate in 1896.

Metaphor 5 The Wizard represents William McKinley who tried to be all things to everyone, but turned out to be a fake.

Metaphor 6 The Yellow Brick Road, with all its dangers, represented the gold standard.

Metaphor 7 Dorothy's silver slippers (Judy Garland's were ruby red, but Baum originally made them silver) represented the Populists' solution to the nation's economic woes ("the free and unlimited coinage of silver")

Metaphor 8 The Wicked Witch of The West represents the railroads and the control they had over the populist supporters.

Metaphor 9 Dorothy represents an American who does not want wealth and riches, and instead values home and good morals.