Opposition to the New Deal (AQA GCSE History): Revision Notes
Opposition to the New Deal
Introduction
Although Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal was popular with many Americans, it faced significant opposition from various groups. These opponents had different reasons for challenging Roosevelt's policies, ranging from concerns about government spending to worries that the programmes didn't go far enough to help struggling Americans.
Understanding the opposition to the New Deal is crucial for grasping the complexity of American politics during the Great Depression. While Roosevelt's programmes were generally popular, they faced challenges from multiple directions - some saying they went too far, others saying they didn't go far enough.
Opposition from wealthy Americans
The wealthy class formed one of the most vocal groups opposing the New Deal. Their opposition stemmed from several key concerns about how Roosevelt's policies affected their interests and beliefs.
Roosevelt financed his New Deal programmes by raising taxes on wealthy individuals, which naturally upset those who had to pay more. Many wealthy Americans felt the government was squandering money on unnecessary projects, such as paying unemployed people to plant trees or paint public buildings. They viewed these work programmes as wasteful rather than productive.
The wealthy had already suffered significant financial losses during the 1929 Wall Street Crash, losing fortunes when the stock market collapsed. This context helps explain why they were particularly resistant to paying higher taxes to fund New Deal programmes.
Roosevelt acknowledged their losses but argued that since they still had resources remaining, they should contribute to helping those who had lost everything. This reasoning didn't satisfy many wealthy Americans who felt they had already sacrificed enough.
Business owners particularly resented how Roosevelt's policies interfered with their operations. They opposed measures that increased workers' rights, such as establishing minimum wages and limiting maximum working hours. These regulations cut into their profits and reduced their control over workplace conditions.
Republican political opposition
The Republican Party provided organised political resistance to the New Deal, basing their opposition on fundamental beliefs about the role of government in American society.
Republicans, including former President Herbert Hoover, maintained that individuals should solve their own problems rather than relying on government assistance. They believed Roosevelt's policies created too much government influence in people's daily lives and worried that the federal government was becoming overly powerful and intrusive.
The Republican opposition was rooted in traditional American values of individualism and limited government. This philosophical difference created a fundamental clash with Roosevelt's more interventionist approach to solving the economic crisis.
Some Republicans went further, accusing Roosevelt of behaving like a dictator by expanding presidential powers. Others feared that America was moving towards communist-style government control, arguing that extensive government intervention in the economy resembled socialist policies that threatened American capitalism and individual freedom.
Opposition from radical politicians
Interestingly, some politicians opposed the New Deal from the opposite direction, arguing that Roosevelt's programmes were insufficient and that the government should do much more to address the economic crisis.
Francis Townsend proposed a radical retirement policy, suggesting that the government should provide pensions for all Americans aged 60 and older. This would have been far more extensive than any existing New Deal programme.
Charles Coughlin led the National Union for Social Justice, advocating for the government to create more jobs and guarantee higher wages for workers. His organisation pushed for policies that went beyond what Roosevelt was willing to implement.
Huey Long's "Share Our Wealth" Policy
Perhaps the most famous radical opponent was Huey Long, a Louisiana politician who developed the "Share Our Wealth" policy. Long's specific proposals included:
- Confiscating any fortunes over $5 million and redistributing the wealth
- Ensuring every family would have a car, a house, and a radio
- Providing free education for all
- Making food affordable for the poor
His ideas gained considerable popularity among struggling Americans who felt the New Deal wasn't helping them enough.
Supreme Court opposition
The Supreme Court, America's highest judicial authority, posed a constitutional challenge to Roosevelt's New Deal programmes. The Court has the power to determine whether new laws comply with the Constitution and can strike down legislation that violates constitutional principles.
In 1935, the Supreme Court dealt a significant blow to the New Deal by ruling that the Agricultural Adjustment Act was unconstitutional. The Court determined that this law violated the Constitution because it removed states' rights to make decisions about agricultural policy, concentrating too much power in federal hands.
The Court also declared several measures introduced by the National Recovery Administration illegal, arguing that these policies exceeded the federal government's constitutional authority. These rulings demonstrated that even popular programmes could be stopped if they didn't follow constitutional guidelines.
The 1936 election results
Despite facing opposition from multiple directions, Roosevelt's New Deal remained popular with the majority of American voters. In the 1936 presidential election, Roosevelt won decisively, even though Republicans chose a popular candidate to run against him.
This electoral success occurred because, while wealthy people, some politicians, and legal experts opposed Roosevelt's policies, ordinary Americans who benefited from New Deal programmes strongly supported him. The election results showed that vocal opposition didn't necessarily represent the views of most voters.
Roosevelt himself recognised this contradiction, once commenting that "everyone was against the New Deal except the voters" – highlighting how opposition from elite groups didn't reflect broader public opinion.
Timeline of key events
- 1933: New Deal programmes begin, opposition starts forming
- 1935: Supreme Court rules Agricultural Adjustment Act unconstitutional
- 1935: Supreme Court declares National Recovery Administration measures illegal
- 1935: Huey Long promotes "Share Our Wealth" policy
- 1936: Roosevelt wins presidential election despite opposition
Key Points to Remember:
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Multiple opposition sources: The New Deal faced criticism from wealthy Americans, Republicans, radical politicians, and the Supreme Court – each for different reasons
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Wealthy opposition focused on money: Rich Americans opposed higher taxes and government spending on work programmes they considered wasteful
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Political opposition split two ways: Republicans thought the New Deal went too far, while radicals like Huey Long thought it didn't go far enough
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Constitutional challenges were serious: The Supreme Court successfully blocked some New Deal programmes by ruling them unconstitutional
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Voters supported Roosevelt anyway: Despite vocal opposition, Roosevelt easily won the 1936 election because ordinary Americans benefited from his policies