The New Deal was a series of programs and projects, initiated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, that aimed to combat the effects of the Great Depression.
Background
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal (1933–1939) fundamentally redefined the U.S. government’s role in the economy.
For the first time, the federal government became responsible for social welfare, regulation, and employment.
While many Americans credited Roosevelt with saving capitalism, others accused him of undermining democracy or doing too little for social justice.
Opposition from conservatives, business leaders, populists, and even the Supreme Court shaped the limits of the New Deal and its eventual legacy.
Critics from the Political Right
Business and Conservative Opposition
Industrial and financial elites resented government interference in the economy.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Liberty League (1934) denounced the New Deal as “socialist” and unconstitutional.
Critics argued that Roosevelt’s regulations (e.g., NRA, Wagner Act) discouraged investment and weakened free enterprise.
Constitutional Concerns:
Conservatives believed Roosevelt had exceeded his authority by expanding executive power and centralizing control.
The Supreme Court struck down several key programs, including the National Industrial Recovery Act (1935) and Agricultural Adjustment Act (1936), ruling them unconstitutional.
The American Liberty League was a conservative political organization founded in 1934 by wealthy business elites and conservative Democrats to oppose President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policies. The league viewed the New Deal as an unconstitutional and socialist threat to free markets, property rights, and individual liberties.
Critics from the Political Left
Socialist and Populist Movements
Many radicals believed the New Deal failed to redistribute wealth or challenge corporate power.
Socialist and Communist parties accused Roosevelt of preserving capitalism rather than replacing it.
Populist Demagogues
Huey Long (Louisiana): Proposed the “Share Our Wealth” plan, advocating confiscation of large fortunes to guarantee every family a $5,000 income.
Dr. Francis Townsend: Proposed old-age pensions funded by a national sales tax, a precursor to Social Security.
Father Charles Coughlin: A radio priest who blamed bankers and promoted anti-Semitic and isolationist rhetoric; his movement drew millions of listeners before being discredited.
Huey Long, also known as "the Kingfish," was a highly influential and controversial American politician who served as the governor and later a U.S. senator for Louisiana in the early 20th century. A populist Democrat, Long was known for his "Share Our Wealth" program, his charismatic but authoritarian style, and his fierce opposition to big business and the rich during the Great Depression
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Note
The New Deal was a series of programs and policies implemented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt between 1933 and 1939 to combat the effects of the Great Depression. This period marked a significant shift in the role of the federal government in American society and economy.
The New Deal introduced social welfare programs, economic regulations, and employment initiatives
It established the foundation for the modern welfare state in the United States
The government took on new responsibilities for social welfare, regulation, and employment
DefinitionNew Deal
A series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939.
Analogy
Think of the New Deal as a massive repair project for a broken economic system, where the government became the chief engineer, fixing and maintaining various parts of society and the economy.