FDR-Social Flashcards
Women
Good
Eleanor Roosevelt championed women’s rights
Francis Perkins was made the secretary of labour and was very influential in the 2nd new deal
FERA allowed single women to claim benefits
NYA provided education opportunities for young girls
Women
Bad
Social security act did not give aid to domestic servants
Section 213 of the Economy Act stated the government could only employe one member of a household
California made it imprisonable to hire a married women
50% of working places refused to hire women in 1939
AA’s
Good
Alphabet agencies allowed AA’s to sign up (200,000 in CCC)
WPA Known to be colour blind and had employed 1 m blacks by 1939
WPA also helped educate blacks to read and write
The AA vote switched to democrat during FDR’s terms which suggests they feel they benefitted
AA’s
Bad
No anti-lunching laws passed because FDR wanted to keep Dixicrat votes 24 lynched in 1938
FHA was said to be doing “state sponsored segregation” as they gave mortgages if AA’s applied for housing in ghettos but not if they wanted to move into a white area
CCC+TVA heavily segregated and most states would ensure to higher white Americans over blacks no matter how skilled they were
NA’s
Good
John collier created Indian Emergency Conservation Programme which employed 85,000 NA’s
Federal grants given to Indian schools and hospitals
IRA gave Indians the vote and power within their own tribes
NA’s
Bad
IRA assimilation aimed to take away their culture
1887 Dawes Act put them on reservations and took away social mobility and culture (they’ve never recovered from this)
Biggest receivers of welfare
John collier criticised for turning reservations into living museums
Workers
Good
8.5 m hired by the WPA
TVA-wages improved by 200% in a TVA area
Wagner Act + Section 7a restored collective bargaining power
Fair labour standards act 1938 established minimum wage and prohibited child labour
Workers
Bad
During the Roosevelt Recession unemployment grew by 10 million
Rich
Good
Wealth tax was successfully lobbied by Us Steel and was watered down
Few prosecutions under anti-trust legislation
Labour Relation Board-aimed to help settle disputes between employers and unions
Rich
Bad
Wealth tax put tax on top earners up to 75%
The Wagner act made it illegal to prevent trade unions
NRA-1934 1 million workers walked off their jobs in 1,856 strikes
TVA undercut utility providers
Farmers
Good
AAA-gave 4.5 million to farmers between 1934-1940
As well as cutting farm production by 6%
And increasing prices by 50%
Farmers
Bad
Paid farmers to destroy crops when people were starving-seen as immoral
Social security act did not provide aid to farmers
AAA-caused rural depopulation
Unemployed
Bad
By 1939 17% were unemployed
Employment fell by 23% during the recession
National income fell by 13% during the recession
