Eq: "in What Ways Did The Great Depression Affect The Role And Responsibilities Of One Government In The Region?"

Front 1

INTRO: Problems that aroused during the GD

Back 1

1. weak banking system
2. no trade, no economic strength (from being the world domestic power by producing 60% of world manufacturing Output, the USA' economy was draged in one of the biggest domestic crisis since the civil war
3. Farmers had agricultural problems (no electricity, no profit, no modern machinery)
4. Unemployment (by 1933 13 million people were unemployed, suicide rate increased dramatically, American confidence completely lost and replaced by despair and hopelessness)
--> all problems asking for help
--> current government unable to provide aid "Laisser-faire"
--> FDR recognized the need for a change in the role and responsibilitues of the government which would create the basis for the modern presidency in the future

Front 2

Main argument

Back 2

the GD brought fundamental change to te roles and responsibilities of the government by increasing its intervention into the US economy and the citizen's lives

Front 3

ROLE: 1st Argument

Back 3

public opinion pressing for federal Intervention
- when the government faced problems like 13 million unemployed people, 4000 bankrupt banks and a downwards spiralling economy, people were desperately asking for help
- FDR's New Deal established several Alphabet agencies that were under governmental control
- during FDR's first inauguration speech the part that earned the loudest cheet was promising direct government Intervention and aid and a large Executive power

Front 4

ROLE: 2nd Argument

Back 4

- due to increasing government Intervention and the growing control of the federal government over public lifes, ist power and size increased massively
- states governemenst were of course needed to pass acts and put these into action but the president pressured them so much that they simply gad to give in and obey

Front 5

ROLE: 3rd Argument

Back 5

- Ronald Edsforth
" Thus bundle of legislation transformed the role of the Federal government in American life, and the balance of power within the government itself."
- even within the federal government the balance of power of the three different branches changed
- FDR created a large bureaucracy that he presided over (imperial presidency)
- used his own power to set up the Executive Office of the president (6 staff assistants, brought under his own control the Bureau of the Budget and the National Resource Planning Board) allowed future presidents to bring under control: CIA, NSC, NEA and other federal organisations

Front 6

ROLE: Limitations

Back 6

Patrick J. Maney
"Coinciding as they did with his Campaign for Court reforms at home, and the rise of totalitarianism abroad, Executive reorganisation stuck some critics as a step towards dictatorship."
- FDR accused of making the role of the federal government too big
- Liberty League formed to fight him
- convinced opponents were assuming dictatorial powers and seeing parallels between him and Mussolini in Italy

Front 7

RESPONSIBILITIES: 1st Argument

Back 7

George Kennan
"When times were hard, as they often were, groans and lamentations went up to God, but never to Washington."
- change in the expectations of te people pre-Depression and New Deal
- after FDR: people looking up to the presidency in any case of emergency

Front 8

RESPONSIBILITIES: 2nd Argument

Back 8

William E. Leuchtenburg
"The financial centre shifted from Wall Street to Washington."
responsibilities included:
- helping, stabilising, controlling the banks (Federal Reserve System)
- monetary policy
- Alphabet agencies (employment, agriculture, industry, electricity, welfare

Front 9

RESPONSIBILITIES: Limitations

Back 9

- although responsibilities increasing in number and size, federal government still depending on state governments to implement the decisions

Front 10

Conclusion

Back 10

Russo D. Renka
"a necessary organisational modernisation of an office which bore vastly expanded administrative responsibilities in 1939 compared to 1932."
1. fundamental change by increasing its size, role and number of responsibilities
2. despite opposition, FDR could not be stopped in creating the modern presidency
3. changes the balance of power within the government
4. changing towards economy and society