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: While the idea emerged in Europe already in the 19th century and gained some traction in the United States during the Progressive Era, it was Roosevelt and his New Deal that applied it on such a massive scale. A number of social assistance programs that exist in the United States today trace their legacy to the New Deal era, including old age pensions, unemployment insurance, farm subsidies, subsidized public housing, support for the disabled, or support for children in the poorest families. They are designed to subsidize the needs of the general population with various eligibility requirements. The Social Security system remains the largest and most prominent social aid program originally established by New Deal legislation. Similarly, measures protecting labor that are today a taken-for-granted aspect of American life are a result of the New Deal. While such developments as a ban on child labor, maximum working hours, and minimum wages had been discussed or even introduced to a limited extent on a state level during the Progressive Era, it was the New Deal legislation that included them in federal legislation. Political Legacies
Historians agree that the New Deal resulted in critical changes in the U.S. political landscape. Roosevelt’s presidency redefined the role of the executive branch, giving much more substantial power to the president and the federal government. Through a large number of federal agencies and programs, the government regulated the economy, including for example, labor relations in some industries, and thus, multiple groups of citizens received legal protection and support. These ideas inspired the next generations of American reformers and paved the way for reform-minded presidents and their ideas, particularly those of President Lyndon B. Johnson and his Great Society agenda (inspired by Johnson’s direct participation in the New Deal).