Who were the primary advocates of the ideas presented in the Ocala Platform?

The Ocala Platform, established in 1890 during a meeting of the National Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union, primarily advocated for the interests of small farmers. The platform sought to address the economic issues faced by these farmers, who were increasingly burdened by debt, falling prices for their crops, and high costs of transportation and credit. As such, the demands of the Ocala Platform included calls for the regulation of railroads, the establishment of a sub-treasury system to provide farmers with low-interest loans, and the creation of a more flexible monetary policy to increase the money supply.

These policies reflected the growing discontent among rural farmers toward the influence of industrialists and bankers, whose interests often overshadowed those of agricultural workers. By emphasizing the needs and conditions of small farmers, the Ocala Platform became a significant expression of populism in the late 19th century, aiming to empower the agrarian class against larger economic forces that were seen as exploitative.