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We might speak of the "reform party" or the "popular party" or the "demagogs" or even the "democrats," but none of these names are really accurate, particularly not the last. After the time of the Gracchi, what really existed in Rome were two sets of unscrupulous, conniving and corrupt politicians (with a few exceptions on both sides), both of which were after power and the wealth that came with power, and not caring how they got it. One set of politicians, the senatorial conservatives, was in power, the other set, the anti-senatorial popular party, was out of power, and that was almost the only difference between them. Both sets worked hard to ruin the Roman Republic and, in the end, they succeeded.