Opposition to the First New Deal (T2) Flashcards

1
Q

Why did the right turn against Roosevelt?

A

Turned against him when it seemed that capitalism had been saved.

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2
Q

What were the right unhappy about?

A

That the increases in taxes had fallen to heavily onto them.

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3
Q

What did the right oppose?

A
  • What they perceived as too much government involvement in the economy.
  • Too much continued government involvement in the economy.
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4
Q

What had happened to the Republican Party?

A

Were rebuilding and preparing for the 1936 election, but found it difficult to field a strong candidate.

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5
Q

When were the Liberty Leaguers organised?

A

April 1934.

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6
Q

Who was involved in the Liberty Leaguers?

A

Many conservative Democrats as well as Republicans.

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7
Q

What was the aim of the Liberty Leaguers?

A

To promote private property and private enterprise unregulated by law.

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8
Q

What was the impact of the Liberty Leaguers?

A

Attacked Roosevelt throughout the New Deal and formed the basis of right-wing opposition to him.

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9
Q

How many members did the Liberty Leaguers have?

A

By July 1936, it had 125,000 members.

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10
Q

What happened to the Liberty Leaguers?

A

Became less significant after Roosevelt’s victory in the 1936 elections.

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11
Q

Why was Roosevelt concerned about opposition from the left?

A

Because left-wing groups might join together to form a third party and challenge him in the 1936 election.

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12
Q

Who established End Poverty in California (EPIC)?

A

Upton Sinclair.

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13
Q

What was the aim of EPIC?

A

A scheme whereby the unemployed would be put to work in state-run co-operatives.

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14
Q

How were the unemployed paid in EPIC?

A

Paid in currency, which they could only spend in other co-operatives.

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15
Q

What was the impact of EPIC?

A

Sinclair’s ideas gained credibility and proved useful recruits for more serious alternative movements.

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16
Q

Who established ‘Share Our Wealth’?

A

Senator Huey Long from Louisiana , in February 1934.

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17
Q

What did ‘Share Our Wealth’ advocate?

A
  • That all private fortunes over $3 million should be confiscated.
  • Every family should be given enough money to buy a house, a car and a radio.
18
Q

What did ‘Share Our Wealth’ advocate (2)?

A
  • There should be old-age pensions, $2,000-$3,000 per year
  • Free college education for all suitable candidates.
19
Q

How popular was ‘Share Our Wealth’?

A

Ideas were very popular, ‘Share our Wealth’ clubs grew to 27,431 in number, with 4.6 million members.

20
Q

What was Huey Long involved in the past?

A

Had ordered massive public works programmes:
- Over 3,000 miles of paved highways built between 1928-1933.
- New public buildings and an airport at New Orleans.

21
Q

How did Huey Long govern?

A

As a dictator and opponents were treated quite brutally by his bully boys.

22
Q

What did Long begin to do?

A

Began to talk of joining forces with other radicals to form a third party to oppose Roosevelt in the 1936 election.

23
Q

How popular was Huey Long?

A

Up to 4 million people might have voted for him in 1936.

24
Q

What happened to Huey Long?

A

He was shot dead in September 1935.

25
Who led Old Age Revolving Pensions, Inc?
Francis Townsend, a retired doctor, advocated old-age pensions with a difference.
26
What was the aim of Old Age Revolving Pensions, Inc?
- Everyone over 60 years who was not in paid employment should be given $200 a month. - Only on the basis that every cent was spent and none saved.
27
What was the idea behind this pension?
This would boost consumption and thereby production and pull the USA out of the Depression.
28
How popular did Old Age Revolving Pensions become?
Townsend Clubs had 500,000 members and Congress was being lobbied to put the plan into operation.
29
What was the issue with this idea?
Totally impractical.
30
Why was the idea impractical?
- Payments would have amounted to 50% of national income. - An army of bureaucrats would have been necessary to ensure money was spent.
31
Who was Father Charles Coughlin?
A priest whose radio programme 'The Golden Hour of the Little Flower' was enormously influential.
32
How much of an audience did Father Charles Coughlin gain?
30-40 million.
33
How much did listeners contribute to Father Charles Coughlin?
$5 million per year to his parish in Detroit.
34
What did Father Charles Coughlin establish in 1934?
The National Union for Social Justice.
35
What was the aim of the National Union for Social Justice?
Aim of monetary reform and redistribution of wealth.
36
What was the impact of Coughlin's influence on Roosevelt?
Roosevelt was afraid, especially with a possible alliance with Huey Long as mooted.
37
How did Coughlin lose support?
Became increasingly anti-Semetic, lost him a lot of support.
38
What was the Thunder on the Left?
Name given to various political developments that are credited with moving Roosevelt further to the left in 1935 and 1936.
39
What did the Thunder on the Left advocate?
- The state taking control of idle-factories to put the unemployed to work. - Nationalisation of public utilities - Postponement of farm mortgage foreclosures.
40
What was the impact of the opposition?
In the 1934 mid-term congressional elections, Democrats made gains in both houses, the biggest Democratic majority to date.
41
How did the opposition influence Roosevelt?
Roosevelt was preparing a Second New Deal influenced by the demands of radical politicians and big business measures.