The New Deal, the Great Depression, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt were some of the most riveting and controversial topics of the 1930s, and they remain to be controversial to this day. Economists, historians, and political figures all continue to argue on the effects of the three on today’s economy, and most importantly, whether the New Deal ended the Great Depression. While the typical argument of the left is that it did not prolong the Great Depression, many progressives criticize FDR for taking the New Deal far enough and conceding to the right too much, with goals like a balanced budget. And while the common argument of the right is the New Deal did prolong the Great Depression, both the far-left and far-right saw him as a centrist, unwilling
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The New Deal did have many benefits: the countless regulations it put in place in support of worker safety, the slashing of unemployment rates, and the restored patriotism the county had. FDR was one of the most charismatic and confident presidents the US has ever had, and it is no question that those traits helped him rally the country to pass these reforms and ultimately boost morale. The patriotism was also key with the US’s entrance in WWII, which many agree ultimately ended the Great Depression, with its multitude of spending and countless people employed. However, the New Deal was not all positive. Many argue it didn’t do enough to promote the creation of new jobs and that FDR and his reforms were anti-business. While many of the arguments from both sides are valid, let us take a deeper look into the New Deal’s effect on the Great Depression and how it didn’t prolong the Great …show more content…
The FLSA which implemented the min. wage, the 40 hour work week, overtime pay , and youth employment standards. Today, these regulations are at the base of the US economy and are not the radical programs they were viewed as at the time of implementation. Now, the public views them as basic rights. Additionally, after passing the NIRA, FDR stated that “No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country” and “By living wages, I mean more than a bare subsistence level - I mean the wage of a decent living.”, contrary to a common argument of the right that the minimum wage isn’t meant to be a living wage. The 40 hour work week, overtime pay, and youth employment standards (raising the minimum age to 16) all ensured that workers were being treated fairer than ever before and that they weren’t being exploited. The end to child labor also helped bring back kids’ focus to education and not working for
The New Deal did have many benefits: the countless regulations it put in place in support of worker safety, the slashing of unemployment rates, and the restored patriotism the county had. FDR was one of the most charismatic and confident presidents the US has ever had, and it is no question that those traits helped him rally the country to pass these reforms and ultimately boost morale. The patriotism was also key with the US’s entrance in WWII, which many agree ultimately ended the Great Depression, with its multitude of spending and countless people employed. However, the New Deal was not all positive. Many argue it didn’t do enough to promote the creation of new jobs and that FDR and his reforms were anti-business. While many of the arguments from both sides are valid, let us take a deeper look into the New Deal’s effect on the Great Depression and how it didn’t prolong the Great …show more content…
The FLSA which implemented the min. wage, the 40 hour work week, overtime pay , and youth employment standards. Today, these regulations are at the base of the US economy and are not the radical programs they were viewed as at the time of implementation. Now, the public views them as basic rights. Additionally, after passing the NIRA, FDR stated that “No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country” and “By living wages, I mean more than a bare subsistence level - I mean the wage of a decent living.”, contrary to a common argument of the right that the minimum wage isn’t meant to be a living wage. The 40 hour work week, overtime pay, and youth employment standards (raising the minimum age to 16) all ensured that workers were being treated fairer than ever before and that they weren’t being exploited. The end to child labor also helped bring back kids’ focus to education and not working for