Why did economic reform movements develop in the late 1800s?

Farmers faced difficult issues such as high costs charged by railroads and manufacturers, as well as being in a state of debt.

Explanation:
The period of the late 1800s is labeled as “The Age of Reform”. During this period a lot of people were unhappy with the economic situation of the US so they demanded changes. The reform that had the most economical impact was the Abolition of Slavery since free labor was not available anymore.
Farmers also demanded reform on railroads, since the railroads did not have any government interference, with that they charged more from small farmers than too big ones. Farmers demanded government regulation of that.

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