http://billofrightsinstitute.org/blog/2011/03/08/liberty-responsibility-and-the-new-deal/ Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:15:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://billofrightsinstitute.org/blog/2011/03/08/liberty-responsibility-and-the-new-deal/#comment-984 Augustus Cavanna Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:23:08 +0000 http://blog.billofrightsinstitute.org/?p=879#comment-984 Either/or propositions, which this text is full of, are rarely satisfying. But the record is pretty clear that Hoover's policies were ineffectual in alleviating the financial problems following the stock market crash in 1929. That crash, one may recall, was in part caused by trusting the private sector too much. The lack of regulation allowed wild financial speculation. Sound at all familiar? Roosevelt's New Deal not only helped put the US back on a more solid financial footing, but also was a first step in addressing social problems long in need of attention. Thus, if I have to choose between Hoover and Roosevelt (despite both having strengths and weaknesses), I'll take Roosevelt. Either/or propositions, which this text is full of, are rarely satisfying. But the record is pretty clear that Hoover’s policies were ineffectual in alleviating the financial problems following the stock market crash in 1929. That crash, one may recall, was in part caused by trusting the private sector too much. The lack of regulation allowed wild financial speculation. Sound at all familiar? Roosevelt’s New Deal not only helped put the US back on a more solid financial footing, but also was a first step in addressing social problems long in need of attention. Thus, if I have to choose between Hoover and Roosevelt (despite both having strengths and weaknesses), I’ll take Roosevelt.

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