The New Deal: Crash Course US History #34

Summary

In this episode of CrashCourse U.S. history, John Green explores the New Deal, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's ambitious response to the Great Depression. The New Deal transformed the role of the federal government, redefining American expectations and leading to a realignment within the Democratic Party. It introduced relief, recovery, and reform programs, including Social Security and the National Labor Relations Act. While it didn't end the Depression, it fundamentally altered American politics and the perception of government responsibility, emphasizing security over limited intervention.

Takeaways

• 😀 The New Deal was a series of government programs initiated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression, aiming to provide relief, recovery, and reform.
• 🤔 The effectiveness of the New Deal in ending the Great Depression is debated, with some suggesting that it did not fully resolve the economic crisis but rather World War II did.
• 🏛️ The New Deal redefined the role of the federal government in American life, leading to a realignment of political constituents within the Democratic Party, known as the New Deal coalition.
• 📊 The New Deal can be categorized by its functions: relief programs for the needy, recovery programs to stimulate the economy, and reform programs to regulate the economy and prevent future depressions.
• 📈 The New Deal was divided into phases, with the First New Deal encompassing programs before 1935, many of which were passed in the first hundred days of FDR's presidency.
• 🏭 Notable programs included the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Agricultural Adjustment Act, the Glass-Steagall Act, and the National Industrial Recovery Act, which established the National Recovery Administration.
• 🚫 The Supreme Court initially struck down key New Deal acts like the AAA and NIRA, but later began upholding them, marking a shift in the interpretation of government economic regulation.
• 👷‍♂️ The Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) were significant for their impact on employment and infrastructure, although they were controversial for government competition with private enterprise.
• 🛠️ The Second New Deal shifted focus towards economic security, with landmark legislation like the National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act) and the Social Security Act, which had profound effects on workers' rights and social welfare.
• 🔗 The New Deal's impact extended to American politics, solidifying the Democratic Party's support from various groups including African Americans, union workers, and middle-class homeowners.
• 🌐 The New Deal changed American expectations of government, establishing the idea that the government should intervene in times of economic distress and that liberty is linked to security.

Q & A

What was the New Deal and why was it introduced?

The New Deal was a series of government programs introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression. It aimed to provide relief to the unemployed and poor, recovery of the economy, and reform of the financial system to prevent future depressions.

What were the three R's of the New Deal?

The three R's of the New Deal were relief, recovery, and reform. Relief programs provided aid to those in need, recovery programs aimed to fix the economy in the short run and put people back to work, and reform programs were designed to regulate the economy to prevent future depressions.

What was the significance of the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA)?

The National Industrial Recovery Act established the National Recovery Administration (NRA), which aimed to coordinate industry standards for production, prices, and working conditions. It was part of the New Deal's recovery programs, intended to stimulate economic growth and improve labor conditions.

How did the New Deal redefine the role of the federal government in the lives of Americans?

The New Deal expanded the role of the federal government by introducing a range of programs that directly affected citizens' lives, such as Social Security, unemployment insurance, and public works projects. It led to a realignment of constituents in the Democratic Party and a shift in American expectations of government involvement in economic and social welfare.

What was the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and why was it controversial?

The Tennessee Valley Authority was a program that built a series of dams in the Tennessee River Valley to control floods, prevent deforestation, and provide cheap electricity to rural areas. It was controversial because it put the government in direct competition with private companies.

What was the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) and why was it contentious?

The Agricultural Adjustment Act gave the government the power to raise farm prices by setting production quotas and paying farmers to reduce crop production. It was contentious because it seemed absurd to hungry Americans who saw food being destroyed while they were in need, and it primarily benefited property-owning farmers, excluding many African American tenant farmers and sharecroppers.

How did the New Deal change the American Democratic Party?

The New Deal created a new coalition within the Democratic Party, bringing together urban progressives, unionized workers, left-wing intellectuals, urban Catholics and Jews, middle-class homeowners, and African Americans. This realignment made the Democratic Party more diverse and influential in American politics.

What was the impact of the National Labor Relations Act, also known as the Wagner Act?

The Wagner Act guaranteed workers the right to unionize and established a National Labor Relations Board to hear disputes over unfair labor practices. It led to a significant increase in union membership and played a crucial role in shaping the ideology of the Second New Deal.

What was the Social Security Act of 1935 and why was it significant?

The Social Security Act of 1935 established a system of social insurance that included unemployment insurance, aid to the disabled, aid to poor families with children, and retirement benefits. It marked a transformation in the relationship between the federal government and American citizens, establishing the expectation that the government should provide economic security.

How did the New Deal affect the concept of liberty in the United States?

The New Deal expanded the definition of liberty by linking it more closely to security rather than freedom from government intervention. It introduced the idea that a large, active state could provide greater security for the average person, which is still influential in contemporary discussions about the role of government and individual freedom.

What was the role of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the New Deal?

The Works Progress Administration was a government employment program that provided jobs for millions of Americans, funded through public works projects such as building post offices, creating murals, and supporting arts and theater. It was a key component of the New Deal's relief and recovery efforts.