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To some extent yes. It can be argued that without him and the New Deal America may not have recovered from the Depression.

Now before Roosevelt, Hoover was in power, he believed in 'rugged individualism' and refused to help the people as he felt they neeeded to sort it out for themselves. However, it was then that Roosevelt was elected as President.

He set up a number of schemes to help people including the alphabet agencies. These included:

  1. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) - responsible for flood control, building dams and constructing new towns.
  2. The National Recovery Administration (NRA) - this agency negotiated with the major industries to create fair prices, wages and working hours.
  3. The Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) - aimed at reducing farm production and boosting farm prices.
  4. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) - offered short-term work to young men on conservation projects.
  5. The Public Works Administration (PWA) - constructed schools, hospitals and other public buildings.

Alot of people argued that sometimes the jobs he was paying people to do were uneccessary but the point was he was giving people jobs, he was giving them a reason not to give up hope, he was giving them money for their family ot survive on.

He also helped restore belief in the American people and their faith in the government, with his 'Fireside chats' he would address the nation with his friendly, comforting speeches.

He also stabalised the banking situation, he closed down all banks for the day and then the Emergency Banking Relief Bill brought all banks under government control. If the banks were considered to be good and not corrupt they could then reopen. He helped here because he had stopped all the panic and had solved the banking crisis. He told the American people:

I can assure you that it is safer to keep your money in a reopened bank than under the mattress

The only problem with Roosevelts solution was that is constantly needed money pumping into it and some people thought this was doing less good than the depression. Therefore it can be argued that without the second worl war America probably still wouldn't have recovered from the Depression even with Roosevelt.

However, others believe if he hadn't done all the things he had done and restored faith in the American people then there would have been no hope of recovery.

Really it's up to the individual to make their mind up.

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13y ago

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