Courtesy of Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
A New Deal for America: How Did Social Security Redefine Government's Role
FDR & The New Deal Vision
As part of the introduction to his presidency, FDR introduced a New Deal Programs to combat the Great Depression, a promise to the people of the United States that he would bring the country out of its current vulnerable state while arguing for more federal aid for the poor and unemployed, expressing his belief that the government is responsible for the welfare of its citizens.
"I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished"
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Courtesy of Internet Archives
FDR accused the Republican administration of taking "almost three years" to admit unemployment's scale, first denying it existed. Only recently did they approve federal aid and only after Congress forced it. FDR balanced this by supporting spending cuts elsewhere, but insisted: "I am utterly unwilling that the economy should be practised at the expense of starving people." The "first obligation of the government is the protection of the welfare and well-being, indeed the very existence, of its citizens." He echoed the Democratic platform: the federal government has a "continuous responsibility for human welfare, especially for the protection of children," to be carried out "promptly, fearlessly, and generously." FDR connected the economy to democracy, noting that long-term joblessness weakens faith in the system, but strong government actions shows that democracy can provide safety and stomach such threats.