The New Deal: The Depression Years, 1933-1940

American History in Depth

by Anthony J. Badger

Anthony Badger's notably successful history is not simply another narrative of the New Deal, nor does the figure of Franklin Roosevelt loom as large in his account as in some others. What Mr. Badger does so well is to consider important aspects of New Deal activity agriculture, welfare, and politics, interpreting the history of each.

Genres: History, American History, Nonfiction, Finance, College

412 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 1989

About the author

Anthony John "Tony" Badger is a British academic and historian. Until 2014 he was Paul Mellon Professor of American History at Cambridge University and Master of Clare College, Cambridge.

Reviews

[Ioana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Details of the New Deal--from labor to business to artists and culture, this research covers most of it. Essentially argues that "Americans today still work out their lives in a political economy that still bears the imprint of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal," that there could not have been a New Deal with FDR, and that the New Deal is the foundation for the way that we think about the relationship between government, labor, and culture today. Fascinating.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were lots of details in the book, a bit too much for my taste. Perhaps an economist or a historian of the 1930s might find it fascinating. Choosing to read this book at this time, was odd to say the least; because, the world is in a global pandemic and I am in day 24 of shelter in place. We have at least 3 weeks left. Anyway, it is just disturbing to read how greed and selfish behavior by those in power continue to perpetuate opportunity disparities in our society. Some of the challenges and subsequent decisions, again by those in power, during the Depression Years exist today. The concept that a "maldistribution" of income or wealth limits consumer purchasing power to describe what went wrong with the economy and that a redistribution of said wealth was the only remedy to bring back economic recovery, sounds all too familiar. And corporations such as the auto industry or Big Four tobacco, back in the day, controlled government policy then too. "The consequence of business domination of the code-drafting process was that National Recovery Administration codes did little to stimulate mass purchasing power or increase employment." (p.87) Wouldn't ya know it, on April 2, the Washington Post has an article titled "Borrow from the New Deal: Create a COVID-19 Recovery Corp". The book concludes with a section: Unanticipated Consequences. It is a good summary. Seems we could learn and avoid many of these; however, not while those in power are corrupt or selfish or greedy...

[Individualfrog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surveys the historiographical scene of New Deal studies in the 80s, from contemporary boosterism to postwar triumph to Cold War conservative backlash to New Left disillusionment and subaltern focus to full-throated neoliberal attack to conclude that, all in all, a better world was not possible.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first book about the New Deal and a subject that probably requires reading a few more books. This is more about the various policies (reasoning, implementation, outcomes, shortcomings, consequences etc.) and less about the characters involved; though there were certainly some characters involved. Each policy could justify a separate book. He also does a good job of exploring the alternative economic/social theories of the time.
It's mostly accessible reading, though the author would have been better-served to have included some introductory explanations, examples and clarification for some of the more complex economic and other concepts.

[Gerry Czerak · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the current controversy over Federal programs, spending, policies ever needed a context, this is the comprehensive book to provide it. Reading it, the arguments sound all so familiar: debate over how to help the poor in both urban and rural areas, the creation of unions that generally supported Democrats, often resisted by the wealthy land and corporate class trying to preserve and maximize profits on what they already have.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a grad class, and even though it isn't the most unbiased book ever, I really enjoyed it. Sometimes you just need a nice, clear overview, even if it's tinged with bias. I had never been exposed to such a pro (or at least not negative...maybe neutral) view of Hoover. I will keep this one around for reference.

[Katharyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for HI259: The Rise of Modern America, 1865-1996

[Domenico Composto-Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great historical book on the Great Depression in the United States and FDR's New Deal from the objective perspective of a British historian.

[Austin High]

973.917 BAD