Julie Nelson Roosevelt's New Deal: A Benifit or Detriment November 3, 2004
After the catastrophic U.S. stock market crash on October 29, 1929, known as "Black Tuesday," unemployment in the United States rose from about 3% to a financially devastating 25%. So, When Franklin D. Roosevelt took up office as the President of the United States, on July 2nd, 1932, he needed to drastically change the financial and social situation of his country. That, is where the " New Deal," came into practice. The "New Deal," was designed to help the country back on its feet again after coming to an economic halt. President Roosevelt had many good ideas that took shape during his time in office, that had a positive effect on the economy of the United States.
One of his government programs, was the AAA, or the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, which was designed to make it more profitable for the farmers so that they weren't constantly in a cycle of poverty. One way that he helped them, was setting the price of crops and livestock, so that the farmers would get a decent price for their surplus stock and crops. However, the AAA was very controversial because farmers were encouraged to produce less crops, and even slaughter livestock to stay under the quota set by the government, at a time when people all over the country were starving. The Tennessee Valley Authority of 1933, was one of Roosevelt's policies that had no down side that I could see. The TVA was set up to control flooding by building dams, but it ended up providing very cheap electricity to 3 states, as well as helping to irrigate once dry and infertile lands. It was one of the very few government programs that seemed only to do good, and not negatively affect anyone. Another one of President Roosevelt's good programs, was the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC was an organized activity for unemployed young men, giving them something to do and helping the country in the process. The young men planted trees in eroded areas, and stocked rivers and lakes with more than one billion fish. This also helped the young men and women of America learn to be independent and work hard. All of these programs were both good for agriculture or food production and stimulating the economy, therefore being positive outcomes. One other program that was good for America at the time, was the Emergency Banking Act/Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which restored the trust in American banks that people once had. The Emergency Banking Act/Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was created to insure deposits up to $5000 dollars, and because of it, after re-opening the banks, the deposits well exceeded the withdrawals. One more policy that greatly benefited the Americans, was the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, which banned the sale of tribal land and returned much of the already taken land, back to the Natives. Overall, this program benefited the Native Americans immensely. In all of these programs, the lives of the American people are became better, through the policies of President Roosevelt.
