New Deal Opposition

Give two key features of the supreme court opposition

Give two key features of the supreme court opposition

1) The Supreme Court closed down Alphabet Agencies

1. Many judges who were against Roosevelt claimed that Alphabet Agencies were too unconstitutional as they took away the power of state governments (the federal government was too powerful)

2. They stated that the NRA was to have no control over trade and the AAA could not be forced on states as this was against the constitution

2) Another key feature was that Roosevelt tried to get a majority in the court

1. Judges were appointed by the president in 1937, he asked Congress to add 6 more judges in court to give him a majority of supporters in the Supreme Court.

2. This was called court-packing, and was claimed as dictatorship. It was refused, by 2 existing judges decided to back up Roosevelt, giving him a majority vote from the Supreme Court.

Give two key features of Republican opposition

1) The Republicans disagreed fundamentally with the democrats.

• The Republicans disliked Roosevelt, and the federal government gaining too much power

• They hated him spending so much money by borrowing or raising taxes.

2) The Republicans gained power in Congress

• In 1938, due to a recession, they gained more seats in Congress formed a coalition with some Democrats from the southern states.

• They voted to cut spending on work relief programmes, block any New Deal measures and investigate the Alphabet Agencies.

Give two key features of business opposition and the Liberty League

1) Businessmen disagreed with the New Deal

• Businessmen disliked the government being so powerful with high taxes to fund the New Deal programmes, they preferred a laissez-faire attitude.

• They hated the NRA setting working hours and pay and the Wagner Act allowing unions to challenge businesses- both granted workers too much power.

2) The Liberty League was set up to paint Roosevelt as anti-business

• The American Liberty League was founded in 1934 and distributed leaflets and broadcasts to try and show the New Deal as a threat to the power of individual states.

• Only 130000 people joined it and it was closed in 1940 after the Supreme Court began to back Roosevelt

Give two key features of Henry Long and ‘Share Our Wealth’

1) Long believed that the New Deal didnt go far enough

• Huey Long, a senator, said that the NRA was controlled by big business, the AAA left poor farmers homeless, and that there was a large gap between rich and poor Americans.

• He felt that the Social Security Act (unemployment insurance) didnt go far enough and too many Americans were poor.

2) He set up the Share Our Wealth programme

• in 1934, it aimed to take a part of the income of wealthy Americans and give Americans $2500 per year

• Around 6 million people joined the Share Our Wealth clubs, the proposals were radical but since he was shot in 1935 it never went too far.

Give two key features of Father Coughlin’s Social Justice campaign.

1) Father Coughlin spread his messages on the New Deal

• He was a Catholic priest near Detroit whose sermons were broadcast via radio to 30 million

• His political opinions were taken seriously by politicians/the public and he initially supported the New Deal, boosting Roosevelt’s votes.

2) He set up the National Union for Social Justice

• Coughlin claimed that the Depression was caused by Wall Street financiers and so wanted banking reforms and more fair taxes.

• He campaigned in November 1934 to nationalize the US economy by setting up the National Union for Social Justice, many of his ideas were realised in the Second New Deal so his influence declined.