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The National Greenback(er) Party was a party active in the United States after the United States Civil War. One of the major ideological divisions of the time was monetary policy. During the United States Civil War, the federal government issued "Greenbacks", a paper currency that instead of being backed by the commodity price of gold or silver, instead derived its value from the faith and credit of the United States government. This allowed the government to introduce inflation and help pay for the prosecution of the war. After the war, bankers and industrialists desired a return to "hard money" backed by gold or silver. The National Party, also called the National Greenback Party, stood to oppose a return to hard money, especially after an economic depression in 1873 left farmers and agriculturalists deeply in debt and hoping that the continued use and printing of greenback currency would alleviate their debt. Eventually, the party became involved in labor issues and other progressive social debates. Supporters of the Greenback movement subsequently supported other Labor, Progressive, and Populist parties.