The New Deal and Second New Deal - Research Paper Example

 The New Deal and Second New Deal Thesis The new deal is arguably one of many things that brought back the United States from the Great Depression; although the New Deal failed to end the economic Depression, the approach was successful in restoring confidence from the public and generating new programs which brought relief to Americans, and inevitably delivered America from the Great Depression. Introduction The term New Deal got coined during the era of Franklin Roosevelt. It was drawn from Roosevelt’s acceptance speech regarding his nomination for the presidency in 1932. In the first 99 days of his reign, President Roosevelt did propose an ambitious concept referred as the “New Deal”. The deal sought to relief people from unemployment, and those who were at risk of losing homes and farms, business and agricultural recovery, as well as introducing reforms, particularly via the introduction of the vast TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority). However, the impacts of the New Deal had to take time since about thirteen million Americans were jobless by 1933. Additionally, banking industry had been shuttered. Body Herbert Hoover Although President Herbert Hoover introduced the New Deal, he lost the presidency to Franklin D after the 1932 election. Blames were raised concerning Hoover’s irresponsibility which led to the crashing of stock market as well as causing depression. Franklin mightily opposed legislations of the New Deal via which the federal government worked with assumptions. These assumptions concerned the responsibility regarding the national welfare done by assuring high level activities of the economy. According to Hoover’s critique, Roosevelt took long to reveal programs behind the New Deal during the campaign for the presidency, and was concerned that the newly come president would risk sinking America into deficit spending at the expense of the New Deal. There was consultation done between Roosevelt and Hoover, nor did Roosevelt involve Hoover in government at all while he was still the president. The "Hundred Days" President Hoover called for a unique session of Congress which happened on March 9. Promptly, Hoover started submitting reform as well as measures for recovery validation to be done through congressional. Almost every bill proposed by president Hoover got enacted by Congress. The 99-day session, counted from 9th March to 9th June was referred to as the "Hundred Days." The “Second Hundred Days" Additionally, Congress enacted a number of important reform and relief measurers in 1935 — sometimes referred to as the “Second Hundred Days.” Some of the measurers enacted within this Second Hundred Days included: a unified resolution to forsake the 5th June gold standard; National Employment System Act by 6th June which sought to generate the employment service for America; Home Owners Refinancing Act by 13th June, in order to create the Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) with an intention of refinancing non-farm mortgages; Glass-Steagall Banking Act of 16th June 16, aiming to support varying reforms in the banking industry. As a result of the leadership of President Roosevelt, the U.S. government started a relief program, named Civil Works Administration (CWA). The program was initiated in 1933-1934 winter. The role of CWA was to fund authorities like governors and mayors in executing public projects such as school and road construction. Roosevelt terminated CWA after several months, although other programs took advantage of longer lives in operation. A program like the Civilian Conservation Corps ran from 1933 to 1942. Members of this program produced identifiable and lasting outcomes with soil and forestry conservation and flood control programs. The established Works Progress Administration (WPA), in 1935, provided jobs to the jobless. Between 1935 and 1941, the WPA program provided jobs to two million people in average, annually. The WPA further spent billions on flood control, reforestation, water works, rural electrification, sewage plants, school buildings, students’ scholarships amongst many more projects. WPA’s crowning accomplishment was realized when they completed the Bonneville Dam in 1937 at Columbia. The New Deal had a great influence on the American Labor Movement, particularly through the application of various legislations. Some of the legislations are as discussed below. The first legislation is the National Industrial Recovery Act (1933), which saw the National Recovery Administration (NRA) established. The NRA strived to revive industry via various strategies like raising wages, minimizing work hours as well as reining through unbridled competition. American employees were assured right of negotiation with employers via freely chosen unions following the Wagner Act (1935). This consent led to the establishment of a Labor Relations Board to act as the dispute resolution forum. The assumption underlain in the New Deal was that the American government could extend its scope to end human misery. Starting in 1935, the Social Security Act of 1935 was enacted by Congress to provide the aged with pensions, dependent mothers with benefit payments, the blind and crippled children with unemployment insurance. Other legislation applied to assist homeowners, small businesses, and railroad industries. The early New Deal programs produced mixed up impacts. Although the Gross National Product (GDP) shot between 1933 and 1935, almost 10 million people remained jobless. Roosevelt maintained public support regardless. The congressional election of 1934 broke the norm resulting in the Democrats increasing their headcounts in the Senate and the House. The span after the midterm elections, usually referred to as the “Second New Deal,” portrayed a mightier focus on socially related reforms. This was also the period that the policies of President Roosevelt faced challenges from all directions – including the Supreme Court. The new deal however faced some challenges, some of which cost people lives. Senator Huey Long of Louisiana, an early supporter of President Roosevelt and a Democratic strong candidate designed a special economic recovery program referred to as Share the Wealth. This program called for a culture of giving $5,000 to every family for purchasing a house, radio, car, and a guaranteed income of $2,500 annually. The unfortunate happening is that Long got assassinated in 1935, yet his ideas regarding wealth redistribution remained popular. Additionally, the Supreme Court challenged President Roosevelt, as it declared the New Deal’s key elements unconstitutional. In 1935, the NIRA got struck down in the forum “Schechter Poultry Corporation v. United States,” commonly referred to as the “sick chicken case.” Minorities, women, and the New Deal. Depression in America had a greater impact on the African-Americans, although there was a lot of support from the social programs run during the era of the New Deal. However, some elements of discrimination persisted. Camps of the CCC were segregated; there was an effect of evacuating black farmers from their lands as castigated by the administration of agricultural policies. Relief payment for blacks was also lower compared to the ones offered to whites. In the New Deal, however, more African-Americans got employed than before. Depression as well as the administration of Roosevelt had an effect on other minorities too. For example, during World War I through the 1920s, many Mexicans got recruited for factory jobs and on U.S. farms. A significant revolution, also, in the policies applied with the Native Americans happened during the reign of President Roosevelt. The assimilationistic goal of the Indian Affairs J. Collier got abandoned at the expense of tribal culture which was incepted with the New Deal. There was also more employment for women including integrating more ladies in into the federal government. Frances Perkins’ appointment to the cabinet portrayed a significant milestone. Following the election held in 1936, President Roosevelt accepted the second term nomination and regarded a referendum and the election on his policies and himself. The “New Deal coalition,” that incorporated immigrants (inclusive of the Jews and Catholics of the second and the third generation), Southerners, urban voters, labor organizations, Midwest farmers, and, they supported him. Additionally, African-Americans, who used to vote for Republican from Reconstruction, shifted in a significant number, to the Democratic Party. Conclusion The New Deal is one of the many ideologies which helped the United States of America significantly counteract on the various pressures that the nation was experiencing. Notably, the U.S. government of that time created employment for many Americans, and employed profound strategies of handling economic depression. Socially, the government addressed the issue of discrimination against minorities like African Americans and Mexicans. Work Cited Burke, John P. 2006. The Institutional Presidency. In the Presidency and the Political System, ed. Michael Nelson, 383-405. Washington. Conlin, Paul K. 1992. The New Deal. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company. Brogan, Dennis W. 1950. The Era of Franklin D. Rooservelt: A Chronicle of the New Deal and Global War, New York: United States Puyblishers Association, INC. Ekirch, Authur A. Jr.1969. Ideologies and Utopias: The Impact of the New Deal no America Thought. Chicago: Quadrangle Books, INC. Lenchtenburg, William, E. 1963. Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal: 1932-1940. New York: Harper & Row. The Second New Deal. Retrieved on 19th October 2011 from http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/The-Second-New-Deal.topicArticleId-25238,articleId-25207.html Read More