1. Assessing the New Deal

2. New Deal Programs… Promised that the government would care for the weak in society Gave the government greater control over the economy –Banks –Businesses –Farms –Etc. Was this a good thing or a bad thing for our country? –There is NOT agreement on this point

3. More humane No homeless old people No starvation, etc. Built up infrastructure Roads, bridges, dams, etc. Eased pain of Great Depression Unemployment dropped Millions got jobs Businesses recovered Trust in banks recovered Supported the Ideas of Keynesian economics

4. Gov should deficit spent Gov should cut spending

5. Conservative Critics some felt that the New Deal gave the Federal Government too much power This harmed business increased federal deficit The Supreme Court declared some New Deal programs unconstitutional (ex: NRA & AAA)

6. Socialist (very liberal) Critics some felt the New Deal did not do enough should gov take over and run banks? Should all Americans be guaranteed jobs? In the New Deal, gov. held back farm production as people starved. *** interesting economic discussion of how the price that would allow farmers to break even can be too high for the poor… how to deal with that? New Deal did not end Great Depression – WWII did