How successful was the New Deal?

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How successful was the New Deal?

Advantages

  • Restored faith of people in government
  • Preserved democracy
  • Greatly extended role of central government
  • stabilized banking system
  • cut business failures
  • Improved infrastructure of the USA
  • Alphabet Agencies provided work for millions
  • second New Deal greatly strengthened position of labour unions
  • Social security act provided semi-welfare which included pensions
  • 200,000 black Americans gained benefits from New deal agencies
  • Some women achieved prominent positions

Disadvantages

  • Roosevelt gave too much power to the federal government
  • Governments were involved in areas which were traditionally been managed by state governments
  • US economy took longer to recover
  • After Roosevelt reduced New Deal budget, country went back into Depression
  • AA's only provided short-term jobs
  • Unions were still treated with great suspicion by employers
  • Many strikes were broken up with brutal violence
  • People argued that social welfare measures put too much pressure on taxpayers
  • New Deal agencies discriminated against black people
  • 8,000 women were employed by CCC out of 2.75 million

Evaluation

Overall, the New Deal helped did not fix everyone's lives. New Deal agencies could only provide short-term alternatives which mostly affected the unemployed and economy. Not only were the Social welfare criticised, but people who argued also encouraged people to 'sponge' off the state. When black Americans were discriminated, Roosevelt did too little to end segregation in the Southern States. New Deal agencies agreed that women would be paid less than men. It achieved little success and therefore built up to opposition later.

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