Questions and Answers
Why was big business a critic of the New Deal?
Government doing too much, can't tell us what to do.
Who created 'Share Our Wealth'?
Huey Long
Who thought FDR wasn't doing enough?
Huey Long
Why was Father Coughlin, 'Radio Priest', a critic of the New Deal?
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Why was Francis Townsend a critic of the New Deal?
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What was the cause of the Dust Bowl?
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What were the results of the Dust Bowl?
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Who was a New Deal critic that championed the working class and promoted 'Share the Wealth'?
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What did the American Liberty League criticize about the New Deal?
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What political organization opposed the New Deal and favored a fascist state?
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What did Huey Long believe about taxation?
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Who were three people that had radical reactions to the New Deal?
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What organization had a conservative reaction to the New Deal?
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What were two radical reactions to the New Deal?
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What were two conservative reactions to the New Deal?
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Who was Huey P. Long?
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Who was a leading critic of the New Deal that believed Roosevelt was not doing enough?
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Who criticized the New Deal for not doing enough for older Americans?
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What did critics fear about the American Liberty League's stance?
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Was the Supreme Court an opponent of the New Deal?
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How did the Supreme Court react towards the New Deal?
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What action did Roosevelt take after the Supreme Court deemed eleven New Deal plans unconstitutional?
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What happened when Roosevelt was implementing the court packing scheme?
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Did FDR win in the court packing scheme? What happened by 1938?
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Study Notes
Critics of the New Deal
- Big business criticized the New Deal for government overreach, believing it imposed excessive regulations and control.
- Huey Long, governor of Louisiana, introduced the "Share Our Wealth" program advocating for wealth redistribution to support the less fortunate.
- Long believed FDR's policies were inadequate and proposed heavy taxation on the wealthy to provide homes, cars, and money to all; he was assassinated in 1935.
- Father Charles Coughlin, known as the "Radio Priest," criticized FDR for insufficient measures against big business and expressed anti-communist, anti-union, and anti-Semitic sentiments.
- Dr. Francis Townsend proposed a pension scheme for individuals over 60, aiming to provide jobs for younger people and economic security for seniors.
The Dust Bowl
- The Dust Bowl resulted from severe drought combined with agricultural practices that disrupted the soil, causing massive dust storms across the Great Plains.
- Many farmers could not repay bank loans, leading to foreclosures; numerous Great Plains residents migrated to California in search of work but faced mistreatment.
Political Reactions to the New Deal
- Huey Long emerged as a populist critic of FDR, advocating for the working class and suggesting that the New Deal did not do enough to support poor Americans.
- The American Liberty League, composed of wealthy elites, opposed the New Deal, arguing it expanded federal authority too much and advocated for a fascist state akin to Mussolini’s Italy.
- Critics encompassed a spectrum from those like Long, who felt reforms were insufficient, to organizations like the American Liberty League, which opposed the New Deal on conservative grounds.
Radical and Conservative Responses
- Radical critics included Long, Father Coughlin, and Dr. Francis Townsend, all of whom sought a more comprehensive reform of the economic landscape.
- Conservative critics argued the New Deal represented a radical shift away from traditional American values and feared it would lead to national decline.
- The Supreme Court opposed the New Deal, ruling eleven of its initiatives unconstitutional, signaling a significant judicial challenge to FDR's policies.
Court Packing Scheme
- After facing numerous court rejections, FDR initiated a controversial court packing scheme, attempting to increase the Supreme Court's size from nine to fifteen justices.
- This plan aimed to sway the court in favor of New Deal legislation but was met with backlash from Congress and the public, suggesting FDR was overreaching his authority.
- By 1938, some judicial opposition lessened as one justice switched and another retired, indicating a shift in the court's stance towards New Deal policies.
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Description
This quiz explores the major critics of the New Deal during the Great Depression, focusing on figures such as Huey Long and their perspectives. Learn about their beliefs regarding government intervention and economic policies. Test your knowledge on the challenges faced by FDR's administration.
