New Deal

Election 1932

Rep. Herbert Hoover v Dem Franklin D. Roosevelt

FDR began to put together a group of professors, lawyers, and journalists, known as “brain trust” to help formulate a set of policies.

Goals of ND: relief for the needy, economic recovery, and financial reform.

Hundred Days congress passes more than 15 pieces of

legislation; FDR’s first step was in banking and finance

FDR declared a bank holiday and closed all banks to prevent further w/drawls

Emergency Banking Relief Act banks shut down and subject to gov't inspection,

allowed to open when "healthy"- people's confidence returned they redeposited, allowing banks to invest in the economy

Fireside Chat Radio chats that FDR gave

occasionally about issues of public concern, explaining in clear, simple language his ND measures.

First chat took place the day before banks reopened

New Deal Programs Glass-Steagall Banking Act of 1933

which establish the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) which provided for federal insurance for individual bank accounts of less than $5,000. reassured individuals that their accounts would be safe.

Federal Securities Act: required corporations to provide complete information on all stock offerings and made them liable for any representations,

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to regulate stock market,

Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) sought to raise crop prices by lowering production,

SPECIFIC PIECES OF LEGISLATION (direct gov't intervention in the eco.)(called "Alphabet Soup")

NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL RECOVERY ACT (NIRA) and NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMIN (NRA) were established to end animosity b/n labour and business all was redirected to industrial growth fair labour codes established - wages, no child labour, shortened work hours- business people challenged the NRA, claiming it was communist

New Deal Programs

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) young men 18-25, work building roads, developing parks, planting trees, and helping in soil erosion and flood-control projects

Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA): funded with $500 million to provide direct relief to needy.

Public Works Administration (PWA) provided money to states to create jobs.

National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) sought to promote industrial growth by establishing codes of fair practice for individual industries.

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) focused on badly depressed Tenn. River valley, renovated five existing dams and constructed 20 new ones, also provided flood control, hydroelectric power

New Deal Programs

Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) provided government loans to homeowners who faced foreclosure b/c they couldn’t meet their loan payments.

National Housing Act created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) which still provided loans for home mortgages and repairs today.

Reaction to the New Deal

Liberals: felt that the New Deal did not go far enough to help the poor and to reform the nation’s economic system.

Conservatives: argued the opposite, that FDR spent too much on direct relief and used ND policies to control business and socialize the economy.

American Liberty League

Second New Deal FDR called on Congress to

provide more extensive relief for both farmers and workers.

Eleanor Roosevelt began to get involved with recovery A woman is like a tea bag - you

can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. Eleanor Roosevelt

Election 1936 Dem: FDR vs. Rep:

Alfred Landon FDR carried every

state but two, Maine and Vermont

Helping Farmers Goal of 2nd ND was to help farmers,

when SC struck down AAA, Congress passed another law to replace it, Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, paid farmers for cutting production of soil-depleting crops like cotton and wheat.

Workers Progress Administration (WPA) set out to create as many jobs

as possible as quickly as possible, built airports, schools, libraries, hospitals, repaired roads and streets, sewing groups of women made clothes for the needy,

Supreme Court: 1935 Struck down the NIRA as unconstitutional declaring that the law gave legislative powers to the executive branch.

- Court-packing bill: -

National Youth Administration created to provide education, jobs, counseling, and recreation for young people, provided student aid in exchange for students working part-time on campus.Wagner ActHelped to change standards for wages and hours, banning child labor, and ensuring the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively with employers.

National Labor Relations Board (Created under Wagner Act) today,

continues to act as a mediator in labor disputes between unions and employers

Fair Labor Standards Act:

Social Security Most important of FDR

achievements, passed in 1935, 3 major parts:

1. Retirement Benefits: cash payments made to retired workers sometime after they reach 62

2. Disability Benefits: payments made to workers who have become too disabled to continue working

3. Unemployment Insurance Program: makes payments to people who have lost their jobs and seeking new work, up to 6 months

Most important legacies of the ND b/c federal govt have assumed some responsibility for the social welfare of its citizens.

Provides an old-age insurance program, an unemployment compensation system, and aid to families with dependent children and the disabled.

New Deal and Women

Frances Perkins: first female cabinet member Sec of Labor

Economy Act of 1932 FDR also appointed two female

diplomats and a female federal judge Still discriminated against

New Deal and African Americans

FDR appointed more than 100 AA to key positions in govt

May McLeod Bethune: educator promoting opportunities for AA, helped organize a black panel to advise FDR on racial issues

Marian Anderson: Daughters of Amer Revolution were not going to allow her to perform in their concert hall in DC, Eleanor resigned from organization, then arranged for her to perform at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday

FDR and Civil Rights

FDR never fully supported civil rights b/c didn’t want to upset S. Dem voters,

Refused to approve of federal anti-lynching law and end to poll tax

ND programs discriminated against AA paying lower wages

New Deal Coalition

An alignment of diverse groups dedicated to supporting the Democ. Party included S. whites, various urban groups, African Amer, and unionized industrial workers.

Voting bloc enabled the Democ to dominate national politics throughout the 30s-40s.

FDR and New Deal Impact

By 1939 ND was over and FDR was paying attention to problems in Europe, especially Germany

FDR expanded the power of the federal govt giving it a more active role in shaping the economy.

Securities and Exchange Commission Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Environment FDR was committed to conservation and

promoted policies designed to protect the nation’s natural resources