Title: Conclusion: The Legacy of the New Deal | Boundless US History
Headings: Conclusion: The Legacy of the New Deal
Conclusion: The Legacy of the New Deal
Conclusion: The Legacy of the New Deal
Learning Objectives
Key Takeaways
Key Points
Key Terms
“Halfway Revolution”
Social Assistance
Political Legacies

Content: They emphasized the absence of a philosophy of reform to explain the failure of New Dealers to attack fundamental social problems. They also detected a remoteness from the people and indifference to participatory democracy and emphasized conflict and exploitation during the era. Regardless of political views, however, historians generally agree that the United States battled the consequences of the Great Depression not thanks to the New Deal and its relief and reform programs, but thanks to the growth that resulted from the demands of World War II. New Deal relief programs are generally regarded as a mixed success in ending the nation’s economic problems on a macroeconomic level. Although fundamental economic indicators may have remained depressed, the programs were very popular among ordinary Americans. They improved the life of many citizens through providing jobs for the unemployed, legal protection for labor unions and some non-unionized industrial workers, modern utilities for rural America (e.g., electricity), living wages for the working poor, and price stability for farmers. However, the same programs disproportionately benefited white Americans and particularly white males. Economic progress for minorities, especially African Americans and many working class women, was hindered by discrimination, which the Roosevelt administration rarely battled and often endorsed. Social Assistance
One of the primary legacies of the New Deal was a change in the relationship between the government and the nation. The New Deal was built around the assumption that the government–both federal and state–not only could but should intervene in and regulate the economy and directly support those in need.