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The New Deal, What Was It
First published January 1, 1963
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 15, 2012
This book was published in 1963, presumably as a resource for students. It consists of essays published after the New Deal era, reflecting on the time period of Roosevelt's presidency and offering arguments as to the relative success of his programs. The authors of these essays range from outside political commentators to former members of the Roosevelt administration itself.
The authors of the essays represent a variety of political perspectives. Some on the Left claimed that the New Deal was merely a temporary fix to the larger problems of the capitalist system. Some on the Right claimed that the program was too aggressive and that Roosevelt had introduced ideas that were Socialist, European, or "alien." Critics from each of these perspectives seemed to also raise issue with Roosevelt's acquiescence of political power, some going so far as to call him a "demagogue."
Still other authors come from a more centrist, or "liberal," perspective. They praised Roosevelt's efforts and applauded the spirit of his administration. One essay, written by an Englishman, addresses Roosevelt as a cultural figure and the favorable impression he left on many people in Europe at the time, and how this impression influenced their view of United States culture as a whole.
Several of these authors had worked directly with Roosevelt in the establishment of his New Deal programs. Some continued to heap praise on him while others raised issues with the direction he took.
One thing that struck me about this book overall was the gentlemanly level of discourse. For the most part, even Roosevelt's harshest critics conceded certain positive qualities of his leadership, or at least the sincerity of his convictions. This approach, markedly less contentious than today's political dialogue, seems to allow for a more developed understanding of complex issues.
This book also demonstrates the existence of a true American Left before World War II. Most people today seem take for granted that the political spectrum extends from "liberal" to "conservative," when historically the liberal perspective was considered more centrist and the left wing was generally more radical. After World War I, we became the only Western industrialized nation without a political party that represents the interest of Labor specifically. The demonization of unions and concepts like Socialism within our culture might be responsible for this paradigm shift.
Great book.
The authors of the essays represent a variety of political perspectives. Some on the Left claimed that the New Deal was merely a temporary fix to the larger problems of the capitalist system. Some on the Right claimed that the program was too aggressive and that Roosevelt had introduced ideas that were Socialist, European, or "alien." Critics from each of these perspectives seemed to also raise issue with Roosevelt's acquiescence of political power, some going so far as to call him a "demagogue."
Still other authors come from a more centrist, or "liberal," perspective. They praised Roosevelt's efforts and applauded the spirit of his administration. One essay, written by an Englishman, addresses Roosevelt as a cultural figure and the favorable impression he left on many people in Europe at the time, and how this impression influenced their view of United States culture as a whole.
Several of these authors had worked directly with Roosevelt in the establishment of his New Deal programs. Some continued to heap praise on him while others raised issues with the direction he took.
One thing that struck me about this book overall was the gentlemanly level of discourse. For the most part, even Roosevelt's harshest critics conceded certain positive qualities of his leadership, or at least the sincerity of his convictions. This approach, markedly less contentious than today's political dialogue, seems to allow for a more developed understanding of complex issues.
This book also demonstrates the existence of a true American Left before World War II. Most people today seem take for granted that the political spectrum extends from "liberal" to "conservative," when historically the liberal perspective was considered more centrist and the left wing was generally more radical. After World War I, we became the only Western industrialized nation without a political party that represents the interest of Labor specifically. The demonization of unions and concepts like Socialism within our culture might be responsible for this paradigm shift.
Great book.
February 18, 2014
I'm actually re-reading this book as part of an attempt to reconcile my beliefs about the 1930s Depression and New Deal to today's economic situation.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews