FDR's New Deal programs marked action rather than Hoover's inaction, and his ability to restore confidence in the American people is credited to pulling the nation out of the Depression. To what extent was FDR acting as a psychological therapist to a very depressed United States? Was his success more ideological than it was physical? Or was only seeing believing for the very disillusioned public?
Consider how some sick patients treated with placebos often are cured from their ailments even if they are not given any actual medication. Did the United States simply need a more positive outlook?
The point in the blog post that asks if people could be cured of ailment without medication reminded me of a ToK class. We discussed that someone concentrated on believing they were destroying their tumour, then one day they were informed that the tumour was gone. Of course, this isn't exactly the case with the U.S. but I believe it relates to the positive outlook idea. Sometimes, all you need is to believe something and it makes you feel better and this was achieved by FDR's new deal in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that this new positive outlook helped the US pull out of the depression, but how far can positivity go? It isn't just magic. I do think that FDR's actions/policies helped to stimulate the economy. Not only did his programs in the New Deal give opportunities for workers/employment (which in turn stimulated the economy) but also his work outside the office in his fireside chats brought the nation together in a time where comfort was needed. So I think that both the positivity and the greater amount of work put into his policies combined to create greater success for FDR and his country.
ReplyDeleteI think that if you are dealt a hand that isn't very favorable or downright bad, that looking onto the future in a brighter and more optimistic view helps a ton. America was dealt a very bad hand starting with the great depression then the inaction of President Hoover, so when FDR promised immediate action they voted for him and he did do immediate action. I also think that the Quick action he took with shutting down the banks and passing the Emergency Banking Act and a ton load more Acts after that helped assert FDR's role as the Doctor with the right prescription. I also think that the Acts he passed were leaning towards socialism, but i also think that american people just needed a way out and went along with this socialistic view and actions that FDR took. I think that a lot of people would do the same in modern times with the recent economic downturn.
ReplyDeleteI think FDR can be seen as a psychological therapist to the United States. A positive mindset definitely had a lot to do with the New Deal's success. The political cartoon above is the perfect comparison to the US. Confidence in your doctor is half of the battle and surving is the other half. The United States underwent "surgery" and is almost whole again.
ReplyDeleteFDR took concrete actions to restore confidence in the American economy, and also fix some of the structural issues that caused the depression in the first place. He made farmers reduce production and destroyed their produce in order to curb the basement level prices of agricultural products. He also created the National Industry Recovery Act, which tried to end wage deflation, increase hirings, promote competition in the marketplace. The U.S needed a reason to have a more positive outlook, and FDR provided them with many.
ReplyDeleteI like the term Ashley used as FDR being a therapist. But as we know, a therapist can only help so much. He can do everything in his power to influence you and the nation. But you have to be willing and ready for the change. FDR did many things in his time, but it was the people that were essential for the change in America.
ReplyDeleteI think that the most important and best thing that Roosevelt did was exactly the aspect Hoover had missed: Acting in time. When he was inaguirated he began immediately with his programms, he spread confidence for the american people, he created the agencies for examplea the AAA or FERA. I think thatall this was succesfull because he didn't loose any time-Hoover had made that mistake the past four years.And I think that what he did was both ideological and physical. Some of his plans didn't work out anymore a few years later, but were very useful during the Depression.
ReplyDeleteI do not deny the effort that FDR's positive characters has done undisputed effort towards the us's economy, especially since he got the disease and he was still as confidence and dedicated as a cook. But i think the real reason that helped america solved the economy crisis besides the WW2 was the solid progressive policies he has committed, which created a great deal of demotic demands and job opportunity.
ReplyDeletePeople can be "cured" of ailments through placebo, and I think the same concept can be applied to the economy. Simply giving the people confidence will make them think that the economy is stable enough to to spend their surplus money instead of hoarding it, or even save the money in a bank. On a large scale, the placebo effect of the talkst that FDR had with the nation probably didn't change the entire course of the economy, but it helped greatly.
ReplyDeleteI agree that emotion and moral play a huge roll in human life. So the positivity from FDR was a welcomed change. But as Nicki said it isn't magic. FDR did some major, almost under-the-rug moves that physically boosted the economy. Combine that with the psychological therapy and the U.S.A. was on the road to recovery. I do not think that the U.S. could just have gotten by with a "placebo" pill to economy.
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