My paper will trace the era of the 32. President of the United States of America, Franklin
Delano Roosevelt (FDR)1, Member of the Democrats, who introduced the president as an
active and representative member of the government. His presidency (1933-1945) had a
duration of three terms, and part of a fourth term. He emerged as the Great Depression and
the banking crisis had reached their peak. America was in need of governmental
intervention. Whilst the Hooverian times can be cited as having stood under a rather
diffident administration, the FDR era signifies a shift towards activeness of the executive
branch in terms of decision making and the initiating of laws. Roosevelts' presidency is in
so far one of the most significant in the history of the American presidency, as this
administration would overcome certain historical concepts, that had often before proven to
be problematic. There were issues such as the strict separation of powers and the Congress'
domination over the White House which were seen upon differently 1947, when Truman
took over the presidency from FDR, than in 1932, before Roosevelt was elected.
This transformation through Roosevelt's administration has its foundation in many
aspects. It overcame problematic historical concepts such as the strict separation of powers
and the Congress' domination over the White House and changed it for good. Also FDR
gave a new meaning to agenda setting and managed to define a new president-to-citizenrelationship,
making use of news media and radio to directly communicate to the people
whilst before him the president and his personality played a minor role in this office.
But the most important action Roosevelt took was initiating the „New Deal“,a
concept which contains so many levels, that they can hardly be outlaid in total in this term
paper. It is a complex and disputed topic that is in some points even held vaguely, countless
books have been written about this era and viewed it from historical, legal, institutional,
even psychological aspects.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Governmental takeover
II. 1. Hoover: the diffident predecessor
II. 2. Elections 1932
III. New Deal: the reforms
IV. Intellectual Governing and a collective dynamism
IV. 1. Franklin D. Roosevelt – a political theorist?
IV. 2. „Brain Trust“, the discordant group behind FDR
V. Conclusion
VI. Attachements:
Figures
List of figures
References
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, specifically focusing on the ideological foundations and the implementation of the "New Deal" during the onset of the Great Depression. The primary research objective is to analyze Roosevelt's political motivation and theorizing, while investigating the organizational influence of the "Brain Trust" in shaping the administration's early crisis management.
- The transition of executive power from Herbert Hoover to Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- The socio-economic context of the 1932 election and the Great Depression.
- Key legislative reforms initiated during the first "Hundred Days".
- The intellectual role of the "Brain Trust" in policy development.
- Roosevelt’s leadership style and his use of mass communication.
Excerpt from the Book
II. 1. Hoover: the diffident predecessor
Roosevelt's Republican predecessor Herbert Hoover became president in 1928, whilst his country's constitution was at a problematical stage. The crisis would soon reach its climax and the president did understand that the Great Depression needed to be dealt with by unconventional mandates. But within the „old-fashioned“ rhetoric his government brought, his powers of policy-making had reached a limit.
He employed the leave-it-be-strategy and relied heavily on the idea of „intelligent cooperation“, able to organize finances by themselves. He required state and local politicians to extend their spendings on public works and roads, believing this would signify a „substantial reserve for prompt expanded action“. Apart from that operation, Hoover invited American industrial entrepreneurs to meet up and reason together, whatever plans could be made to keep the crash from turning into a depression, which resulted in the pledge to them to uphold wage rates. But with this, no concrete measurements were taken to the businessmen, such as for example the reduction of working hours or laying off of workers.
After all, this strategy did not require much action from anyone in the federal government. It all had to depend on the people outside, whilst Hoover functioned more as a „cheerleader to American enterprise“ than as a „referee, coach or player in the economy“. As the companies discharged employees „with what seemed precipitous haste“, especially in the automotive industries, to follow Hoover's plea, the local and state governments spent more money ranges on their construction projects. But this nurtured the crisis even more and the spending had to fall.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter introduces Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency and the motivation behind the research into the ideological foundations of the New Deal.
II. Governmental takeover: This section details the economic crisis under Herbert Hoover and the subsequent political climate leading up to the 1932 election.
II. 1. Hoover: the diffident predecessor: An analysis of Hoover's economic strategies and his perceived failure to provide adequate leadership during the Great Depression.
II. 2. Elections 1932: This chapter covers the political campaign of 1932, highlighting the contrast between Hoover's conservative policies and Roosevelt's calls for change.
III. New Deal: the reforms: An examination of the initial legislative measures taken by Roosevelt during his first "Hundred Days" to address the economic collapse.
IV. Intellectual Governing and a collective dynamism: This chapter explores how the New Deal emerged from a collective of academic advisors rather than a single individual.
IV. 1. Franklin D. Roosevelt – a political theorist?: A critical investigation into whether Roosevelt held a consistent political philosophy or acted pragmatically according to the situation.
IV. 2. „Brain Trust“, the discordant group behind FDR: An analysis of the intellectual group surrounding FDR and their conflicting views on state management and business regulation.
V. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the nature of the Rooseveltian administration and how his leadership style transformed the American presidency.
Keywords
Franklin D. Roosevelt, New Deal, Great Depression, Herbert Hoover, Brain Trust, American Presidency, Electoral Politics, Legislative Reform, Economic Policy, Political Ideology, Executive Power, 1932 Election, Governance, Public Administration, Crisis Management.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the transition of power in 1932 and the subsequent ideological and practical implementation of the New Deal during Franklin D. Roosevelt's early presidency.
Which historical themes are central to the analysis?
Central themes include the shift from Hoover's conservative economic management to Roosevelt's interventionist approach, the role of the "Brain Trust," and the evolution of political communication.
What is the primary research question?
The paper investigates the initial motivations of the New Deal and seeks to determine if Roosevelt followed a coherent political philosophy or relied on pragmatic improvisation.
What scientific methods are utilized?
The work employs a historical-analytical method, utilizing primary documents, contemporary political rhetoric, and secondary academic literature to synthesize the administration's early strategies.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the failures of the Hoover administration, the 1932 election, the legislative "Hundred Days" reforms, and the internal dynamics of FDR’s academic advisory group.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Roosevelt, New Deal, Great Depression, Brain Trust, political leadership, and economic interventionism.
How did Hoover’s economic strategy differ from Roosevelt’s?
Hoover favored a "leave-it-be" strategy based on voluntary cooperation, whereas Roosevelt introduced active, large-scale federal intervention and legislative reform.
What role did the "Brain Trust" play in the administration?
The "Brain Trust" acted as a group of academic advisors who provided theoretical frameworks and policy recommendations to Roosevelt, fostering a collective approach to governance.
How is the term "Brain Trust" defined in the text?
It is defined as a discordant group of intellectuals and Ivy League academics who advised the President and promoted experimentation in state-managed society.
- Quote paper
- Sarah Pagan (Author), 2011, "We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths" - FDR and the convergent ideologies behind the New Deal, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/209146
