Respond to a classmate’s post that criticizes Roosevelt’s policies.

Question

what do you think about this answer?
"If I had lived during the Great Depression, I would have overall supported Roosevelt's New Deal policies. Roosevelt wanted to fix issues in the nation's economic status and restore the relationship between the public and the government, so his New Deal policies were put in place with intent to reform the economy and make it more efficient and fair. Bills were passed with purpose to stabilize the economy, provide relief to Americans through direct grants to the states, create jobs, and help businesses among other things. Alongside this, many programs were started, such as the CCC Relief act which provided government jobs for young men from relief families, or NIRA which was meant to put industries back into service and fund infrastructure projects. There is some discourse over some of his projects, which typically includes the ideas that he didn't do enough to help the working class and that some of his policies were unconstitutional, but to a large extent Roosevelt did good and provided important quick relief to Americans. With his work, the economy was reformed and bettered, and left long-lasting effects in many ways such as creating infrastructure that is still used, banking laws, social security, and regulated sale of stocks and bonds. So while acknowledging the flaws in his policies is important, I would have supported his work if I had been living through this time as it did a lot of good and brought important change."

Answer 1

I appreciate your thoughtful response to Roosevelt's New Deal policies. You make a compelling case for the positive impact of his initiatives during the Great Depression, particularly in terms of providing immediate relief and long-term reforms. It's true that the New Deal addressed critical social and economic challenges, creating jobs and restoring hope for many Americans during a devastating time.

However, I would like to highlight that while Roosevelt’s intentions were commendable, some of his policies did face valid criticisms. For example, the implementation of certain programs often reflected the racial and gender inequalities of the time, leaving many marginalized groups without the support they needed. Additionally, some critics argue that the New Deal didn't go far enough in restructuring the economy or in promoting labor rights, which could have provided more robust support for the working class.

Your acknowledgment of the discourse around his policies is crucial. It shows that while Roosevelt’s New Deal undoubtedly helped many, we should also recognize its limitations and how those shortcomings shaped future policies. Balancing this perspective might further enrich our understanding of this period in American history and the ongoing dialogue about the role of government in economic recovery. Thank you for sharing your insights!