Assess Franklin D. Roosevelt. What do you think of him, his style of leadership, and his administration.
In 1928 he was nominated for the post of governor and won the election with a narrow margin and become governor. His image was created as an opponent of Tammany. In 1932 he appeared as a nominee of president and won the election with a wide margin this time. His campaigning was on the issue of great depression in united States of America. He made a new deal to the people of America. This deal was made in accordance with democratic party and this deal made democratic party as the majority party during the fifth party system.
Roosevelt was president for two terms. The first term was from 1932 to 1937. When the first time he occupied the office the United States was under great depression of world war. United States economy was falling down. His presidency period was called as relief, recovery and reform. Relief to the unemployed people, recovery from the falling economy to its normal form and reform means to find the cause for this falling of economy.
To recover from this depression he passed some bills and reset the confidence of his party members through some dramatic gestures. His new deal included the reforms that provided employment to several rural people and farmers in the rural projects. The farmers were paid high to cut their crops from the field and high prices for the commodities.
The new deal gave a new hope to the American people of better future. This reform included the people from various groups of society. They were from different religions, of both sex and from major political parties. He made certain measures to banking reforms by declaring holidays and temporary closing of banks. To interact with people he made direct contact with them through Fireside Chat. His enthusiasm in the conservation can be observed by providing outdoor jobs for the young people.
To the farmers he made a new act called Agriculture Administration act that provided the facility of hiking the crop price. He also provided electricity to farmers. Workers had provided secured position by giving NRA codes to the industries. Workers were given right to unionize.
Women and other minorities were also given equal right to participate in political activities. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of Franklin Roosevelt put forward step in the direction of women and minorities betterment.
Roosevelt was optimistic and courageous. He used his innovative ideas to carry out the people from great depression to the stage of development in all areas especially in the agriculture and industrial sectors. He provided employment to millions of people in various big and small projects. These qualities made him a popular president and a ideal character of that era.
Reference:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt
- Chapter 24 The American promise, A History Of United States, Volume 2.
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/history/cap/con_index.htm?24
- http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/fr32.html