Founded by Constantin Stere in the early 1890s, Poporanism is distinguished by its opposition to socialism, promotion of voting rights for all and its intent to reform the Parliament and the farming system.
Regarding Romania's agrarian situation, Poporanists wished to form co-operative farms for the peasants and to remove them from aristocratic control.
Unlike Junimism, another popular political philosophy, Poporanism focused mainly on expanding the power of the peasants.
The fundamental philosophy of Narodism had a lasting impact on Poporanism, spurring its rejection of capitalism and of Marxist ideas.
Later, Dobrogeanu-Gherea and Stere had a split of political philosophy in regards to antisemitism and liberalism, and Dobrogeanu-Gherea formed the Social Democratic Worker’s Party, and Poporanists joined the National Liberal Party.