The Wizard of Oz
A Populist Allegory?
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• Published in 1900 by
L. Frank Baum
• In 1964 high school
teacher Henry
Littlefield wrote
that the Wizard of
Oz was a parable
about Populism
What Gives a Dollar Value?
• Specie-That which backs
the value of money.
Prior To 1890s? Gold
What did Populists Want?
Bimetallism-Gold/Silver
What is the “Specie” of Today’s
Money? Trust
Fiat Money
th
19
Century Monetary Fight
• East Coast Bankers
(Rich)
– Creditors (They
have provided loans
to farmers for land,
seed, machinery,
etc.)
– Back the Gold
Standard
– Want the amount of
currency in U.S. to
stay fixed or low
growth.
• Plains Farmers
(Poor)
– Debtors (They have
taken out loans that
they must pay back)
– Back the Free
Coinage of Silver
– Want the amount of
currency in the U.S.
to expand
“The Cross of Gold”
• William Jennings
Bryan (1896
Democratic
Candidate for
President)
• “You Shall Not
Crucify Mankind
Upon a Cross of
Gold!”
Dorothy and Toto
Wicked Witch of the East
Munchkins
Munchkins
Wicked Witch of the West
Wicked Witch of West
Good Witch of The North
Good Witch of the North
Yellow Brick Road
Yellow Brick Road
Scarecrow
Scarecrow
Tin Man
Tin Man
Cowardly Lion
Cowardly Lion
Winged Monkeys
"Once we were a free
people, living happily in the
forest, flying from tree to
tree, eating nuts and fruit
and doing just as we
pleased without calling
anybody master...This was
many ears ago before Oz
came out of the clouds to
rule over this land."
Winged Monkeys
Yellow Winkies
Yellow Winkies
Emerald City
Emerald City
.
The Wizard
Wizard of Oz
“I’m Melting!”
I’m Melting
“Ruby” Slippers
In the book they
were Silver
So they represent?
Littlefield
What did the characters
represent?
Dorothy Represents
• The American People at their best
• "Dorothy is Baum's Miss Everyman.
She is one of us, levelheaded and
human, and she has a real problem."
Toto Represents
The Teetotalers who were important allies of
the Populists
Wicked Witch of the East
Represents the Bankers of East and the
Industrialists who wanted to stay on the
Gold only Standard.
Some also say the Wicked Witch of the
East represented Grover Cleveland. As
President he resisted the Silver Standard
Munchkins
Represent the common people. In particular
the Lollipop Guild represents Child Labor
Wicked Witch of West
Cruelty of nature, west was suffering a drought
Good Witch of the North
Represents the Workers of the North
Yellow Brick Road
Represents the Gold Standard
Scarecrow
Western Farmers
Tin Man
Dehumanized Industrial Workers
Cowardly Lion
William Jennings Bryan
Winged Monkeys
Native Americans
Yellow Winkies
Represent the people the U.S. ruled over
because of Imperialistic gains
Emerald City
Washington D.C.
Wizard of Oz
Mark Hanna-Republican Party Boss/McKinley
I’m Melting
Rain finally came to relieve the West
“Ruby” Slippers
In the book they
were Silver
So they represent?
Silver Standard