Date post: | 30-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | rylee-whitehead |
View: | 31 times |
Download: | 5 times |
The US Between Wars
FDR and the New Deal
The Supreme Courtand the New Deal
National Recovery Act (May, 1935) Ruled industry codes were illegal exercise of legislative
power by president Ruled government regulating local business not engaged
in interstate commerce violated law
Agricultural Adjustment Act (Jan. 1936) Unconstitutional exercise of congressional power over
local economic activities
Minimum wage (June 1936) New York had tried to set minimum wage for women &
children Court ruled it a breach of “right to contract”
I’m sorry, but the court says I must chuck you back in.
The First New Deal
March 1933 – June 1936
Transformed the role of government Constructed numerous public facilities Provided relief for millions of citizens Did not end the depression Did not win judicial approval
Worker’s Demands
Better wages End to employer’s arbitrary power Basic civil liberties for workers
Right to picket Right to distribute literature Right to meet to discuss grievances
All these things required union recognition
United Auto Workers“Sit-In” Strike
C.I.O.’s Call for Federal Action
Economic and social security
Public housing
Universal health care
Old age insurance
Voices of Protest
Huey P. Long
RCC Priest
Charles
Coughlin
Share Our Wealth
1934
“Every Man a King”
“Kingfish
Called for Redistribution of Wealth Confiscation of most of the wealth of the richest
Americans Immediate $5,000 grant to all citizens Guaranteed job and annual income ($2,500) for
all workers
“Kingfish”
The New Deals
First New Deal: 1933 – 1935 Focused on short term ECONOMIC RECOVERY Designed to provide immediate recuperative
programs for all groups
Second New Deal: 1935 – 1938 Focused on ECONOMIC SECURITY Designed to provide a more radical redistribution of
power away from big business and toward coal workers, farmers, and consumers.
The Social Security Act
Transformed relationship between government and citizens Before 1930s, discussion was
should government intervene in the economy
After New Deal, question was how government should intervene
Government assumed a responsibility for guaranteeing Americans a living wage and protecting them against economic and personal misfortune
Presidential Election of 1936
“A Reckoning with Liberty”
Two opposing concepts of liberty became central issue
FDR’s (and the Democrats) definition tied liberty to maintaining an acceptable standard of living
His opponents (Republicans) tied it to freedom from powerful government
The New Deal Coalition
Organized labor Southern whites Northern blacks Protestant farmers Urban Jews & Catholics Industrial workers Middle class home owners Republican progressives
The “Court-Packing” Fight
FDR feared that the Supreme Court might invalidate social security, Wagner Act & other measures of the Second New Deal
In a ploy to change the balance of the court, FDR proposed that the number of justices be increased from 9 to 15
Amid cries that he was trying to become a dictator, Congress rejected the idea
Accomplished his purpose anyway
The Court-Packing Fight
Court Packing:Prelude to Tyranny?
The Court-Packing Fight
The political cost: Revealed fissures in his governing coalition Angered congressional leaders Misjudged popular sentiment for sanctity of the court Effectively ended his mastery of Congress and Dem.
Party Served as a lightening rod for his opponents New coalition blocked nearly every presidential
reform initiative between 1937 and mid-1960s
Assessing the New Deal
Part 1
Greatly expanded the role of Government in the American economy
Made government an independent force in management/labor relations
Required employers to negotiate w/ unions Told farmers what they could and could not plant Insured bank deposits Regulated the stock market
Assessing the New Deal
Part 2 Loaned money to home owners Provided payments to unemployed and elderly Transformed the physical environment Restored faith in Democracy Redrew the map of American politics Did not generate prosperity