The emergence of the New Deal came in a time of severe economic and social struggle. This also allowed for political division and the promotion of varied and even conflicting interests. However, the New Deal aimed to improve the lives of the regular working class as well as the operations of American firms and was able to do so by increasing welfare, employment, and business operations across the nations.
Because Roosevelt’s New Deal initiative aimed at improving a number of broad categories of the American social infrastructure, it is vital to observe which policies addressed which concerns and whether they were effective. First, the New Deal aimed to maintain the operations of private property, enterprises, and capitalistic ventures within the nation. Policies that addressed this included the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) (Library of Congress, 2022). The NIRA allowed to merge the interests of the working class with activities of larger firms while the TVA developed the economy within Tennessee, a region severely harmed by the Great Depression.
Goals of maintaining basic welfare and the creation of job security were handled by policies such as Civil Works Administration (CWA), Public Works Administration (PWA), the Social Security Act (SSA), and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The most effective of the four was the SSA which aided a number of marginalized groups such as the people in poverty or those with disabilities, and the WPA, which provided work and security for millions of Americans (History, 2020). Most of the policies promoted values of democracy and limiting exposure or risk of another financial crisis like the Great Depression, which were the other two goals encouraged by the New Deal.
The New Deal and Roosevelt himself stirred disagreement among the upper class and wealthy individuals of the U.S. at the time. This was primarily due to the fact that Roosevelt introduced a higher taxation bracket on the wealthiest individuals within the country to finance many of the policies, programs, and organizations that would shape the New Deal. Even the Supreme Court proved to be in disagreement with certain policies, such as the National Recovery Administration being deemed outright illegal (National Constitution Center, 2021). However, the New Deal faced opposition even from people who did not hold the interest of the wealthy, such as Huey Long, a governor of Louisiana who believed the New Deal was not doing enough for the poor. Both Roosevelt and the FDR administration clashed with the Supreme Court and other parties but also brushed off claims that directly opposed their policies.
While a number of Roosevelt’s policies did not come to fruition or were disbanded over the years, a number of these programs continue to shape the world in the current day. The most influential likely include Social Security and or the Federal National Mortgage Association portion of the National Housing Act (NHA). The Social Security Act allowed for a number of safety nets that may appear as completely normal now but were rare prior to the New Deal. The SSA introduced national securities in pensions, employment, welfare, and a variety of components that affect the daily lives of Americans to this day. The Great Depression observed a housing bubble burst that was detrimental and resulted in thousands of home loans foreclosing daily. To avoid such instances in the future, the amendment to the NHA allowed for the purchase of loans from private lenders so that they may provide people with new loans.
The focus on private capitalistic operations steered the U.S. economy into a totally different direction from European counterparts that facilitated state-outlined economies. Through policies and programs, both firms and individuals were able to enjoy changes that adhered to improving their security and capabilities within the market. Though its success cannot be claimed unanimously, there is no doubt that the majority of New Deal policies had a positive effect on the social infrastructure of the U.S.
Works Cited
History. “Social Security Act.” History, 2020.
Library of Congress. “National Recovery Administration (NRA) and the New Deal: A Resource Guide.” Library of Congress, 2022.
National Constitution Center. “On This Day, the Supreme Court Invalidates Key FDR Program.” Constitution Center, 2021.