The success of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal Program
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President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal program was a success. Success here refers to the achievements of the New Deal, as it generally led to economic recovery in the USA after the Great Economic Depression; the New Deal policy involved the introduction of banking reforms, social security legislations, sustainable farm programs, and public works construction among other measures. The president introduced the measures to aid the Americans to recover from the adverse effects of the Second World War. The New Deal received mixed reactions from the citizens, whereby some citizens supported it while others opposed it.
The program was successful because it was timely in the context of the United States of America. It touched on crucial aspects of the citizen’s livelihood and strove to restore the citizens’ social and economic status, which declined as a result of the depression. The banking reforms that the New deal program introduced brought about new rules and regulations which were aimed at barring financial institutions, especially banks, from undertaking insurance of businesses. Additionally, the Deal prevented the banks from the transaction in securities.
Another significant measure introduced by the New Deal was introducing the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), an agency that greatly eradicated unemployment among the youth. The federal government recruited many youths into this program to perform environmental conservation activities. According to Holmes (1972), the CCC agency however, faced a challenge of racial segregation as the Negros in Georgia were discriminated against. This made the Black people condemn the agency, added to the fact that it did not provide for the Blacks in an equal measure as the whites.
Furthermore, the New Deal’s success is derived from its strategy of establishing the farm program, which aimed at making the farmers realize high quantity food production for sustenance. The farm program boosted food production as the government issued disaster relief to farmers. Apart from the government improving tenants and farmers’ acquisition of land, it also provided for the insurance of crops and perfected food distribution. Despite the success of the farm program, Times (1939, June 4) elaborate that voters criticized the program’s activities, which included the destruction of crops and “plowing under” of crops.
As a program initiated by the federal government, the government officers have had responsibilities in its implementation. The president himself initiated the entire program to reinstate both social and economic stability in the USA. Through the program, the federal government provided jobs to the many youths who became jobless due to the Great Depression. A study by Holmes (1972) reveals that the government selected workers and recruited them. Besides that, it supervised the personnel and also managed the projects that were handled by the CCC. The government also distributed the CCC youth to important departments such as Labor, Interior, agriculture, and War. These departments were prioritized because they ensured the well-being of the citizens.
The New Deal program, being a new concept, received mixed reactions from varied categories of people concerning their financial statuses. For example, those of higher income group supported President Roosevelt’s step of halting the banking crisis that had affected their financial capabilities. The have-nots, on the other hand, applauded the government for introducing relief through the New Deal program from which they benefited. On the other hand, they criticized the government’s act of destroying the livestock as it formed part of their economic base (Times, 1939, June 4).
The citizens have however, opposed certain aspects of the New Deal. The program led to an increased public debt due to the issuance of government relief. For that matter, the voters perceived the relief program as unsustainable as it increased the public debt while outdoing its significance in promoting economic stability. According to Times (1939, June 4), every American citizen voted “no” opposing the government’s sourcing of new loans since it elevated the debt burden.
The legacy of the New Deal policy is still present many years after the death of Roosevelt. The program managed to restore economic development by ending joblessness and offering the youths, farmers, and government officers’ opportunities for economic development. This is vividly evident in the CCC agency’s initiation and execution, which contributed to ending the country’s economic problems.
The new deal led to the introduction of significant policies that promoted the social well-being of the citizens. For instance, the government has introduced unemployment insurance to mitigate the effects of joblessness. This program traces its legacy to the noble New Deal. Similarly, the current farm subsidies program promotes agricultural activities, thereby leading to increased production of quality farm produce. This measure’s introduction was inspired by the farm program launched by the New Deal policy (Holmes, 1972).
The New Deal policy did not end the Great Depression. However, it contributed in several ways and to a smaller extent in ending the Great Depression in 1938. For example, towards the Second World War, which would later begin in 1939, there was a high demand for artilleries. The government, in turn, recruited many jobless youths who made the weapons. On the same note, it encouraged labor movements, which championed better wages for the workers. As a result, the workers would receive improved incomes, and this contributed to the ending of the Great Depression.
References
Holmes, M. S. (1972). The New Deal and Georgia’s Black Youth. The Journal of Southern History, 38(3), 443-460.
Times, T. N. Y. (1939, June 4). RELIEF TOP ISSUE, SURVEY INDICATES; “Greatest Accomplishment” of Administration, in Eyes of Many Voters Questioned OTHERS SEE BIG “BLUNDER” Banking Holiday Ranked Next in Importance–’Spending’ Also to Fore, Gallup Reports Banking Holiday Acclaimed Greatest Accomplishments” Haves” and ‘Have-Notes’ Split LOANS ABROAD OPPOSED Survey Shows Overwhelming Sentiment Against New Issues. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1939/06/04/archives/relief-top-issue-survey-indicates-greatest-accomplishment-of.html