the changing political environment
1917-80
Rise and decline of republicanism to 1933:
- Wilson was a Democrat who left a poor image of them to Americans due to his
presidency failures
- he drafted 5 million unwilling men
- unemployment rose to 950,000
- abandoned isolationism and laissez-faire through LON and offering aid to
Germany
- He was followed by 3 Republicans
- Harding 1921-23
- warm, photogenic, charismatic and good PR
- pro-isolationist and laissez-faire
- ended railroad strikes
- Sheppard–Towner Maternity Act
- reduced federal expenditure from $5000 million in 1920 to $3373 million in 1922
- Coolidge 1923-29
- “Silent Cal” introverted, serious but very hand-coding, referenced Bible in
speeches, met with press a lot
- pro-isolationist and laissez-faire
- reduced national debt from $22.3 billion in 1923 to $16.9 billion in 1929
- reluctantly sent aid to Mississippi floods in 1927
- failed to help farmers with overproduction
- Hoover 1929-33
- he believed in rugged individualism which prioritised self-reliance and
improvement
, - he abandoned this through employment to Department of Commerce and Hoover
Dam, set up Agricultural Marketing Act in 1929 and set up President’s Committee
for Unemployment in 1930
- he did rejected federal relief programs and raised taxes in 1932 Revenue Act
- refused to pay benefits and said “the hobos are better fed than they had ever
been”
- Hoover and the Bonus Army
- WW1 veterans were promised a bonus in 1945 but wanted it in 1933, they
protested outside DNC
- 150-200 000 homeless veterans
- Hoover sent the army with guns, bayonets and tanks which gave him a very poor
image as the public praised the army and hoover saw 2 of them dying
- He lost significant support especially when he blamed it on General Douglas and
called the veterans communists
- Roosevelt responded with “this elects me”
- The Decline of Republicanism
- Hoover was uncharismatic, unattractive and never had lots of support
- Roosevelt was handsome, positive with his election song “Happy Days are Here
Again”
- Splits in the Republican party as they wanted a new government and a shift as
they saw how Hoover failed in his promises
The influence of Roosevelt:
- The 1st New Deal
- NRA set hours and wages which involved gov in business; it aimed to improve
living standards
- AAA regulated crops and reduced overproduction but 6 million pigs were killed as
a result; it led to income from 1932–35 increasing from $4.5b to $6.9b
- FERA gave aid to unemployed but only gave $25 to families when they needed
$100
- The 2nd New Deal
- WPA employed 8.5 million people and built 8000 schools and hospitals
- Social Security Act provided pensions but excluded agricultural/domestic workers
- Public Image
- In 1936, he opened a new building at Howard Uni and in solidarity with the black
residents he walked slowly and painfully
- In 1944, he entered a military hospital in a wheelchair in wards with people who
lost legs to show sympathy and relatability
- Fireside chats were open radio broadcasts with the public to inspire and involve
the people
- He received 4000 mail a day and had 20 workers in mailroom compared to
Hoover who had 1.
- Nicknamed “father of us all”
1917-80
Rise and decline of republicanism to 1933:
- Wilson was a Democrat who left a poor image of them to Americans due to his
presidency failures
- he drafted 5 million unwilling men
- unemployment rose to 950,000
- abandoned isolationism and laissez-faire through LON and offering aid to
Germany
- He was followed by 3 Republicans
- Harding 1921-23
- warm, photogenic, charismatic and good PR
- pro-isolationist and laissez-faire
- ended railroad strikes
- Sheppard–Towner Maternity Act
- reduced federal expenditure from $5000 million in 1920 to $3373 million in 1922
- Coolidge 1923-29
- “Silent Cal” introverted, serious but very hand-coding, referenced Bible in
speeches, met with press a lot
- pro-isolationist and laissez-faire
- reduced national debt from $22.3 billion in 1923 to $16.9 billion in 1929
- reluctantly sent aid to Mississippi floods in 1927
- failed to help farmers with overproduction
- Hoover 1929-33
- he believed in rugged individualism which prioritised self-reliance and
improvement
, - he abandoned this through employment to Department of Commerce and Hoover
Dam, set up Agricultural Marketing Act in 1929 and set up President’s Committee
for Unemployment in 1930
- he did rejected federal relief programs and raised taxes in 1932 Revenue Act
- refused to pay benefits and said “the hobos are better fed than they had ever
been”
- Hoover and the Bonus Army
- WW1 veterans were promised a bonus in 1945 but wanted it in 1933, they
protested outside DNC
- 150-200 000 homeless veterans
- Hoover sent the army with guns, bayonets and tanks which gave him a very poor
image as the public praised the army and hoover saw 2 of them dying
- He lost significant support especially when he blamed it on General Douglas and
called the veterans communists
- Roosevelt responded with “this elects me”
- The Decline of Republicanism
- Hoover was uncharismatic, unattractive and never had lots of support
- Roosevelt was handsome, positive with his election song “Happy Days are Here
Again”
- Splits in the Republican party as they wanted a new government and a shift as
they saw how Hoover failed in his promises
The influence of Roosevelt:
- The 1st New Deal
- NRA set hours and wages which involved gov in business; it aimed to improve
living standards
- AAA regulated crops and reduced overproduction but 6 million pigs were killed as
a result; it led to income from 1932–35 increasing from $4.5b to $6.9b
- FERA gave aid to unemployed but only gave $25 to families when they needed
$100
- The 2nd New Deal
- WPA employed 8.5 million people and built 8000 schools and hospitals
- Social Security Act provided pensions but excluded agricultural/domestic workers
- Public Image
- In 1936, he opened a new building at Howard Uni and in solidarity with the black
residents he walked slowly and painfully
- In 1944, he entered a military hospital in a wheelchair in wards with people who
lost legs to show sympathy and relatability
- Fireside chats were open radio broadcasts with the public to inspire and involve
the people
- He received 4000 mail a day and had 20 workers in mailroom compared to
Hoover who had 1.
- Nicknamed “father of us all”
