What do you think president d roosevelt meant when he said that the only thing the us had to fear was fear itself?

Answer 1

President Roosevelt took office in the midst of the Great Depression, a financial catastrophe of global proportions, that caused sudden and severe poverty throughout the country. While there was debate over whether the economic policies of the previous president (Hoover) were to blame, there was no debate that people were suffering and they were terrified. Mr. Roosevelt was a masterful radio speaker (TV had not yet been invented); he took to the radio with a series of what were called "Fireside Chats," where he both informed and reassured the American public, letting his audience know he was now in charge and he had a plan to turn the Depression around.

But first, he had to restore confidence-- Americans had been badly shaken by the impact of the Depression, so he was telling them not to be afraid, because he and his administration were working to move the country forward; and being afraid was not going to help with that process. His speech, which contained the famous quote "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," first acknowledged how frightened and worried the American public had become. Mr. Roosevelt recognized that many Americans were fearful (convinced things would never get better), and the quote, as well as the entire speech, was meant to be both reassuring and motivating to the American public, letting them know that there was no reason to be afraid, because things would soon improve.

Answer 2

The quote means that fear is its own enemy.

Answer 3

fear paralyzed people so that they could not see the solution

Answer 4

He meant that there was really nothing to worry about except maybe the possibility of panicking.

Answer 5

President Franklin Roosevelt said "the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself." It meant that people get scared and act badly, there is no need to be scared of the unknown.