The Great Depression, which took place from 1929 to 1939, is described as one of the longest lasting drop in the economy in history. The Great Depression first began after the crash of the stock market in October 1929. This crash sent Wall Street to eradicate millions of investors and employees. From there, the effect on America was a downward spiral. This downward spiral also sent the standard of an ordinary American to decrease. The Depression led to a record-breaking number of unemployment, which led to a decline in investments, and a loss of savings since the banks were failing. For those Americans who were able to keep their jobs, they were forced to accept a pay cut and therefore not be able to provide all the necessities for their families. This was only the experience of an ordinary American. The period between March and June of 1933, Congress passed fifteen acts to meet an economic crisis, which was known as the First Hundred Days. President Roosevelt came into power in 1933 and proposed a New Deal to decrease the number of unemployment and to end the Great Depression. Roosevelt’s policies were however critiqued by both Democratics and Republicans. The Republicans, also referred to as the ‘right wing’, criticized that the New Deal involved too much intervention of the federal government. On the other hand, the Democrats, also referred to as the ‘left winged’, argued that Roosevelt never attempted to change capitalism and perceived the New Deal as giving businesses too much power.
The Great Depression was introduced soon after the crash of the stock market in October 1929. This crash sent Wall Street and America on a downward spiral. The next few years, there was an uneven distribution of income, overproduction of consumer goods, weak farm economy, high tariffs, and global economic problems. By 1933, approximately 14 million Americans were unemployed and close to half of America’s banks had failed. This resulted in a significant decline of the standard of living for an ordinary American. Due to the pay cuts these Americans had to face who were lucky enough to keep their jobs, resulted in a decrease of supplying their families with bare necessities. Many Americans felt scared, anxious, and constricted, not knowing where or who to turn too. Harry Hopkins, President Roosevelt’s senior advisors, told those who did not know where to turn too, ‘three or four million heads of households don’t turn into tramps and cheats overnight, nor do they lose the habits and standards of a lifetime’ They don’t drink any more than the rest of us, they don’t lie any more, they’re no lazier than the rest of us’ An eighth or a tenth of the earning population does not change its character which has been generations in the molding, or, if such a change actually occurs, we can scarcely charge it up to personal sin’ . Hopkins expressed his trust that Americans could turn to the government for help. This changed the lives of many ordinary Americans since citizens began to rely on the government and provide them with security against the economic conditions.
President Herbert Hoover, in office from 1929 until 1933, promoted that businesses not cut wages and unions not to strike. However businesses could not afford to listen. President Franklin D. Roosevelt went into office from 1933 until 1945 and during his Democratic Presidential nomination acceptance speech he stated, ‘I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people.’ Roosevelt explained that the New Deal would be, ‘used of the authority of government as an organized form of self-help for all classes and groups and sections of our country.’ President Herbert Hoover was blamed for the stock market crash and the depression; yet, he strongly fought against Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation. However, both Roosevelt and Hoover believed that their country needed a balance between government budget and both commended the value of hard work and sacrifice. The legislation gave the ‘federal government responsibility for the welfare of the nation by maintaining a high level of economic activity’ . The New Deal was promised to help America by reconstructing hope and promising security. The New Deal’s beliefs of social welfare liberalism radically changed American citizen’s relationship with the government and it supplied assistance to a range of ordinary people, including the unemployed, the elderly, and the poor.
Similar to all major movements that happen nationwide, the New Deal was criticized both, ‘by those who thought it did too much and by those who believed it did too little’ . Right-winged fought to show the importance of limited government and individual freedom. Due to this belief, the New Deal invaded too much into personal and financial lives of Americans and their affairs with businesses. On the other hand, the left-winged, advocates of social well-fare liberalism ‘complained that the New Deal’s safety net had too many holes: no national health-care system, welfare programs that excluded domestic workers and farm laborers, and state governments that often limited the benefits distributed under New Deal programs.’5. Therefore, both republicans and democrats fought and criticized Roosevelt’s New Deal Legislation.
The Great Depression lasted ten years and within those ten years ordinary Americans became low class Americans and struggling Americans became close to losing everything. Not only did the Great Depression affect America, but it was also a worldwide depression, as every industrialized economy was struggling. President Herbert Hoover denied any direct aid to the masses of Americans who needed it. It wasn’t until President Franklin D. Roosevelt went into office that we saw a slow recovery take place. President Roosevelt’s New Deal policies provided relief and reform and changed the federal government’s role in society immensely. Democrats fought for more government intervention in the economy, distribution of wealth, and increased aid for the poorest of Americans. It was because of the New Deal that America was able to survive and come out of the Great Depression.