16.2 – New Deal Critics
***Despite his critics, FDR was a hero to MILLIONS of Americans***
Limitations of the New Deal
Women
 Men received preferred hiring status in relief jobs
 Many programs permitted lower pay for women
 Social Security did not include domestic work.
African Americans
 Reinforced racial segregation
 Excluded blacks from professional or “skilled”
labor.
 Did nothing to stop the rising tide of lynching
 FDR didn’t want to alienate Southern
Congressmen
 Despite all this, FDR enjoyed wide support from
blacks.
Critics of the New Deal
The New Deal goes too far:
 Many critics saw New Deal Programs as being socialistic
 Critics called most New Deal Programs “un-American” because they “smacked
of Bolshevism”, and limited personal freedom.
 The Social Security System penalized Americans by forcing them to pay into a
system that they might not need.
 The rich HATED FDR!
The New Deal doesn’t go far enough:
 Many New Deal critics said that New Deal programs should redistribute the
personal wealth of the country. – SOCIALISM!
 Progressive critics complained that The New Deal did not eliminate poverty.
Huey Long – Political critic of FDR. Argued for the redistribution of wealth
Father Coughlin – Catholic Priest who was a flip-flopping critic of FDR. Lost
support because of Pro-Nazi sentiments
Modern Day Critics
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Burdened the economy by creating “make-work” jobs rather allowing the
free market to determine the need for jobs and farm products.
New Deal Programs were financed by heavier taxation that took money out
of the pockets of consumers.
What is deficit spending? – spending more money than is in the annual budget.
The Court Packing Fiasco
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Because the Supreme Court had struck down some of
his programs, FDR wanted to put an additional six
judges on the court that were friendly to his ideas.
Critics from all sides condemned this action as an
attack on separation of powers.