Document Analysis 8
The selected question: Was the New Deal about ending the Great Depression or expanding government control over the economy?
Fundamentally, the New Deal stipulated various forms of domestic policies propagated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. According to the Interview with veteran Jimmy Sheridan, the original intention of the New Deal was to bring stability into the economy, create job opportunities, and relief to individuals from poor households. Before the New Deal, the interview with Kitty McCullough narrates and confirms the hard socio-economic times in the United States. According to Kitty, most people resorted to generosity to help the poor members of the society passing through various hard moments. Additionally, the interview with Frank Czerwonka further narrates the hard socio-economic conditions and the crucial role of kindness in sustaining the overall wellbeing of the American societies. President Roosevelt wanted to restore the country’s measure of dignity and prosperity among other essential functions. The New Deal dramatically expanded the U.S. Government’s control or increased role in the American economy.
The New Deal transformed the character and operations of the American government and approaches towards related policies and issues. The Federal government increased its control over acreage allotments, introduced price and marketing controls in agriculture, and introduced wide-ranging regulation of private securities. Moreover, the Federal government increased its engagement and influence in the management of workers’ unions. Increased involvement in the lending and insurance services or activities, and setting of minimum wages among other important decisions defined some of the primary roles of the New Deal. The interview with C.B. Baldwin and Ed Paulson further affirmed that government policies stipulated under the New Deal influenced negatively the private operation of entities and workers’ welfare.
Indeed, exercising the extraordinary powers of the government to control the economy threatened free market operations. The government was understandably reacting to the heightened public pressure to tackle the economic crisis. Consequently, the Federal government failed to recognize that governments should exercise restraint in its control and engagement. The interview with Emil and Ruth Loricks revealed that the Agricultural Adjustment Act raised farm commodity prices to higher “parity” levels further plunging the farmers into economic depression. The act increased the prices of food and fiber more expensive, which many citizens could barely afford. Correspondingly, the National Industrial Recovery Act encouraged the nationalization of companies.
Furthermore, the interview with Raymond Moley on the efficacy of the New Deal further confirmed common fears of government control. According to Raymond, the centralization of powers in Washington by the Federal government was bad for the economy in the end. The radical policies on labor, banking, agriculture, and banking among other important sectors slowed down operation in the free market system. The interview with Alf Landon affirmed that the liberal nature of social security system proposed under the New Deal had detrimental impacts on the American economy. Lastly, the interview with Virginia Durr lamented that most Americans failed to realize the negative impacts associated with the New Deal propagated by President Roosevelt’s administration.
In conclusion, the New Deal resulted in the dramatic expansion of the U.S. Government’s control and increased role in various sectors of the American economy. In essence, the policy statement suggested numerous programs and projects aimed to restore opulence among the U.S. citizens. Nonetheless, different proponents of the New Deal rhetoric argued that President Roosevelt’s policies stipulated under the policy document prolonged and deepened the Federal government’s powers in various sectors of the economy.