Historiography of the New Deal

Question 1

What does the Revisionist view suggest?

Answer 1

Leuchtenberg - ‘done more than…in any other period….still much to be done’
Partly worked/’half way revolution’ - was not radical enough

Question 2

What do the New Left suggest?

Answer 2

The New Deal was ‘profoundly conservative’ (Bernstein) - it failed to truly help and even harmed the needy

Question 3

What does the Revised Liberal view propose?

Answer 3

Badger - TND was ‘restricted by…external restraints’. Does not blame FDR for TND’s shortcomings

Question 4

What does the Conservative view believe?

Answer 4

Schlaes: ‘the 1937 Recession was due to Roosevelt policy’

FDR should have maintained his laissez-faire approach, intervention harmed USA

Question 5

What does the Liberal view state?

Answer 5

Schlesinger: FDR was ‘the greatest of the 20th century presidents’, TND was a complete success