Emilio Marquez

Mr. Martinez
March 26, 2015
Period: 3
Long Essay on the New Deal
The New Deal came out during a drastic time in US History. The stock market had just
crashed on Black Tuesday of 1929, millions of people were left jobless and America was in
panic. The New Deals purpose was to emerge the unemployed into work, get the economy back
into a flowing manner and most importantly, get the US out of Depression. The New Deal was
not conservative in nature as it pushed and passed legislations that would enact an increase of
employed and created a more economically involved and strict government but at the same time
was only a stepping stone toward getting the US economy back into shape.

During the New Deal, Congress passed many acts to re-employ the decreasing workforce
of the US caused by the Depression with the help of a substantial amount of government
spending. The Civilian Conservation Corps provided temporary work for over two million young
men and resources such as shelter, food, clothing, and an annual wage that would go to both the
individual and his family. Also, the Works Progress Administration gave relief jobs to over nine
million unemployed that ranged from building roads to creating art projects. Both of these
agencies created a sense of hope for the poor in a time where it was absent and furthered the
drive toward a balanced US economy. Furthermore, they strategically exemplified the idea of
increasing government spending to create more jobs and increase consumer buying which would,
as stated, produce a booming economy.

Jobs werent the only thing being produced amid the New Deal, many delegations,
approved by Congress, were set up to prevent the resurgence of conflicts that induced the Great
Depression and to give the government a deeper role in the economy. The Security and Exchange
Commission was created to supervise stock exchanges and was a way the government policed
stock markets. Furthermore, the National Industrial Recovery Administration allowed industries
to create fair competition which were intended to reduce destructive competition and to help
workers by setting minimum wages and maximum weekly hours. Both the SEC and the NIRA
were government methods of not only obtaining a stronger appearance economically but also
gaining a wider control of the economy. Moreover, the Agricultural Adjustment Administration
created subsidies which would assist farmers financially in order for food prices to stay low. The
Social Security Act guaranteed retirement payments for workers starting at the age of 65.
Together the AAA and the SS Act provided both relief and recovery for the workforce by giving
financial aid to the needy which would overall help them get back in to shape and give them
more opportunities to participate in the US economy.

As committed and unconservative the New Deal was in the drastic Great Depression, it
lacked the push for longstanding effects. Many of the relief programs jobs were only temporary
and were limited in economic value thus assisted the unemployment rate for only a short-time.
Moreover, there was a depression within the depression as government spending got too high in
1937, FDR reduced subsidies to limited industries which increased unemployment back to about
20%. This proved how crucial government spending is to keep the economy booming and was
furthered proven as WWII got the US out of the Depression. In addition, due to the large amount

of financial aid given to the needy during the Depression, the New Deal changed the
expectations Americans had on their government. For example, when things go bad Americans
now expect the government to do something. The New Deal had lots of issues but did many
things to set America into the rite direction of becoming economically secure again.