New Deal Liberalism Analysis

Classical Liberalism makes two important promises; to create a state that is free from oppression and give its citizens freedom. The United State has tried to keep true to these principles till this day, but has failed to address the detrimental effects of capitalism in our society. Many argue that classical liberalism is exactly what the founding fathers intended for America. They wanted its citizens to have civil rights, freedom, and protection, rather than a controlling monarchist system, and at first it was functionally a dream come true. For many, this prosperity signified the triumph of liberal ideals over the restrictive monarchies of the old world, but with given time liberalism created a falsified sense of freedom that made us slaves

Roosevelt introduced a plan and change in political ideology that would ease the effects of the Great Depression. He called it New Deal Liberalism, which changed the original meaning of liberalism. New Deal Liberalism and Classical Liberalism share the central belief of civil rights and freedom under the law. In contrast, New Deal Liberalism had a certain socialist tendency, where the government exercised more control and power over its citizens and the economy. By doing so, Roosevelt sought to bring economic stability to the working class. He wanted to shift the economy into a collective ordeal where everyone would benefit from the fair distribution of wealth. People who were in favor of the New deal approach began to call themselves liberals and people who opposed it and wanted to stick with classical liberalism began to identify themselves as conservatives. The conservatives usually consisted of wealthy white males who were in control of the market. The conservatives strongly opposed government intervention because it meant that it would disrupt the free market and its economic growth and affect their personal economic

When Roosevelt was in office he “reformed the banking sector... and created large-scale public employment programs” ( Masters of Universe, Pg. 4). For example, the Works Progress Administration provided millions of Americans with jobs created and funded by the government. The Fair Labor Standards Act regulated how companies paid and treated their employees. Soon after, companies stopped employing minors and established minimum wages and allowed their employees to rest during long shifts. These programs were really beneficial to many Americans who were greatly affected by economic depression. Although Franklin Roosevelt had admirable intentions in helping out Americans, his programs exclusively focused on white men, leaving behind African Americans and women. “The gains of the New Deal were limited in important ways... blacks, casual and agricultural laborers, and women were initially excluded from Social Security and unemployment insurance, and welfare was left to the states to administer”( Masters of Universe, Pg. 11). Now a whole new problem with inequality emerged and power shifted from the rich to the government. This shift in power alarmed conservatives because they feared that Roosevelt would establish a totalitarian government, taking away what was supposed to be the United States fundamental