Most people welcomed the fact that they were working at last which in turn gave them confidence of a brighter future.
The social security act of 1935 introduced state pensions, unemployment benefits and disability pay. The government was at least providing a minimum standard of welfare across America, which came as a huge relief to many employers and employees.
Agriculture was another main economic target if America were to get back on its feet.
The Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA) told farmers to cut back on production of flour, wheat and meat, so as to raise farm prices, which would raise farmer’s income. Mortgage Corporations were set up for farmers, to prevent them from being evicted off their farms and helped poor farmers find new rural land.
These benefited farmers greatly as they were also given a new opportunity to raise their own income and promote confidence amongst other farmers who would soon catch onto this scheme. It also taught farmers about conservation of their crops and fields, generally modernising farm equipment and tools that they could use to develop the land.
An example of how the government intended to decrease the number of people unemployed was in the Tennessee Valley Act. This was to generate cheap electricity for thousands of people living there. Dams were set up to generate this cheap electricity whi0ch created thousands of jobs for also constructing power lines. It also tempted industrialists to set up factories in one of the most under industrialised regions of the USA. New houses were built and a sense of confidence and rehabilitation was building amongst communities situated there. They felt pride in what they were doing for once and felt it was a step into the right direction. Poverty was being relieved as well as under funded schools. The most important thing being that people were finally taking money home and spending it on necessities, rather than having to beg for the most simple of things. As a result of these changes to even the smallest of states, many people appreciated the efforts of Roosevelt by even sending him letters, with addresses such as, “God’s gift to the USA” or “To the Greatest Man in the world”. This was the extent of which people were relieved by what the New Deal brought to the country, mentally as well as economically.
In contrast, many people opposed the New Deal during the 1930s both from those who thought it did not go far enough and from those who thought it went too far.
Big business men, the rich and republicans hated the idea that their incomes (which were substantial amounts) had to be taxed in order to fuel more plans set up by the New Deal. They argued that the New Deal’s relief and welfare measures were the first steps towards Communism and undermined the traditional American values such as self-reliance. They felt that too much of their own money was being pumped into the New Deal with rather little being accomplished, and that Roosevelt interfered too much with the running of people’s lives and the economy. They felt that they were being used, and not for the good of America. Roosevelt claimed that this group of rich people were only looking after their own selfish interests and not those of America. Many Americans became confused within this struggle for where their best interests lay.
In the early years of Roosevelt’s presidency five judges opposed his ideas and also felt that the government was interfering too much in economic and social matters. Many Americans did believe that Roosevelt was turning into a dictator and a fascist such was his part in the running of normal peoples lives. Some judges wanted to make some laws unconstitutional, so Roosevelt threatened to create new Supreme Court judges, young men who would support his views. By 1936, one of them came over to his way of thinking, giving him a majority of five to four.
Extremist political groups also emerged as oppositions to Roosevelt and the New Deal. The most prominent being the Share Our Wealth movement, lead by Senator Huey Long. He guaranteed that every American home have an annual income of $2,500, a car and decent education. These views seemed a far cry from those, realistic offers that Roosevelt had given to the American people and so the only people who did support this cause were the desperately deprived, seeking immediate salvation from the destruction Depression. Most ordinary Americans always gave their support to Roosevelt, the most surprising of all being the black community across America.
This group were hit hardest by the Depression because of the inequality and lynching abuse that they faced. Although Roosevelt refused to take steps to help black people gain equal rights, he supported the anti-lynching Bill giving him support from the relieved black community who were also funded by programmes set up by the New Deal. In some states they’re incomes matched that coming from private firms. This is why 85% voted for Roosevelt across America as they were lifted out of poverty and deprivation.
Most Americans believed that they had the right to prosperity. For many it was a main aim in life to have a nice house, a good job, plenty to eat and for their homes to be filled with the latest consumer goods. Consuming more and more was seen as part of being American. Most Americans would agree though that although the New Deal did not bring instant relief to the economy or health, but in its frenzied way started the wheels of industry turning again and brought the American people back from the brink of Depression.
By Arun Joshi