Evaluation of the New Deal

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Evaluation of the New Deal 1. There are three main reasons why Roosevelt was supported in the 1932 election. The first was Herbert Hoover's unpopularity, people saw him as a "do nothing" president and they did not think that he was trying to "restore America". The truth was Hoover did try to restart the economy in 1930 and 1931 -after the Wall Street crash- by tax cuts, trying to persuade business leaders not to cut wages and introducing tariffs but most observers regarded it as tinkering and thought that they had trusted him and that he had let them down. People were sore about the loss of their money. Farmers had a slogan of "In Hoover we trusted and now we are busted." Even more damaging to his reputation was how little he tried to help people who were suffering because of the depression- unemployment, homelessness, hunger - he didn't do what Roosevelt says in one of his speeches from his campaign and " wage war against destruction, delay, deceit and despair." Instead he told his people that "prosperity was around the corner" and basically did very little about the growing numbers of "Hoovervilles". He believed that Social Security was not the responsibility of the Government and that Charities would help individuals. He believed in "rugged individuals" but due to a collapsed economy there was little work available for people to get back on their feet. Hoover done very little and said that they could "smile away the depression". He said that that there would be a "chicken pot on every table" and a "car in every garage". This was ironic as people were queuing for food such as bread to survive on and many lost all their homes a... ... middle of paper ... ...rom another depression- if there hadn't been weapons to be made to sell to Europe and then use themselves when America entered the war, there would have been few jobs for ordinary people and hardly any production either. It was better under Roosevelt that Hoover as Roosevelt took action, he sorted out the "Hoovervilles" and banks but he didn't sort out employment permanently which could have been more damaging in a way and its only thanks to the second world war that there wasn't homeless and hungry people again. I know that Roosevelt did do some good things such as restoring confidence but I have to say that based on what I have explained above, how Roosevelt just glossed the unemployment thing over and how the Second World War was America's saviour, that interpretation 2 is better supported thank interpretation 1 is.

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