Nonpartisan League

The Nonpartisan League ( NPL) was a political party in the United States. It was founded in 1915 by AC Townley and advocated a socialist programmatic. The organization came from the state of North Dakota, but was organized as a national party. At the provincial level, they also stepped up to elections in Canada.

History

The party was founded in 1915 by farmers mainly in response to and to protect against the interests of big mining and railroad companies that operated in North Dakota. The party won in 1916 the control of the Parliament of the State and placed with Lynn Frazier also the governor. The rapid success of the NPL did not last long. With the onset of the economic crisis after the First World War, the party lost its majority in parliament. The later Governor and Senator from North Dakota, William Langer, left the party in a dispute with their management. Frazier was ever voted out of office in 1921 as the first governor in U.S. history as part of a recall procedure.

The party - the Republicans standing next to its foundation - merged in 1956 with the Democratic Party of North Dakota. This still operates today under the name North Dakota Democratic - Nonpartisan League Party.