HERBERT HOOVER 1929-33

PRESIDENT - REPUBLICAN, 1929-33

STRENGTHS:

EXPERIENCED BUREAUCRAT:

• Earned himself the title of ‘great humanitarian’ due to his work during the first world war when Wilson put him in charge of food administration in the USA. Hoover then became the Secretary of Commerce under Harding and Coolidge (1921-29) which saw him oversee relief for the Mississippi Flood victims in 1927. he even did want people about the ‘crazy and dangerous fever of speculation’ in the stock market…. Not that anyone listened.

WEAKNESSES:

WRONG TIME, WRONG PLACE

• Hoover’s riding belief in ‘rugged individualism’ and ‘voluntarism’ made him the worst possible person to oversee the federal governments response to the great depression

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE:

• During the great depression, Hoovers actions were ineffective nad inadequate in dealing with the problem. He failed to stop COngress passing the damaging Hawley- Smoot Tariff, and his instinct on voluntary help saw. lack of private action (such as the NCC- where solvent banks refused to he,p troubled banks). Later in his term he reluctantly passed the Emergency Relief and Construction Act to provide $300m for states, and an extra $1.5bn for the RFC (Reconstruction Finance Corporation) to help for public works, however he insisted that it should not be needed

BAD BONUS BONANZA:

• things went from bad to worse in 1932 when his administration responded to the Bonus Marchers with military force and 2 people were killed by police. upon hearing the news it is thought that FDR said ‘well, this elects me’

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