The Great Depression (1929-1941) exposed longstanding social injustices and economic imbalances that had been downplayed. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected with the specific mandate to end the depression which had brought along financial hardship to all, but more so to minority groups. The New Deal was a three-pronged strategy to relieve, recover and reform the nation (Marsh, 2011). The deal caused and accelerated the recovery of the economy from the big slump. One reform that helped speed up the recovery was the Banking Act of 1935 which raised reserve requirements causing a monetary contraction through reflation of the currency.
Women regardless of their background had a common challenge of being breadwinners in a society that preferred this role be for men, in the depression. The popular demand to limit families to one paid job meant the woman would be at higher risk of losing her job. The majority who were housewives postponed having children since income was low and they could barely fend for themselves (Marsh, 2011). They adjusted to the hardship by shifting their priorities to the very basic needs and avoiding luxuries.
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The expression “We didn’t go hungry, but we lived lean” best summarizes how many American families pulled through the Depression. The women expanded their operation of vegetable gardens to ensure food was on the table. Agricultural organizations ran programs to teach them how to improve yield as well as raising poultry for meat and eggs. They made cheaper foods such as soups and noodles and clothing was always sewed and patched since new ones were too costly to afford.
The New Deal, despite its reliefs, had women struggling for equal employment rights. They faced the problem of lower wages for the same tasks as their male counterparts and exclusive hiring of men in some sectors (Marsh, 2011). For example, the Civil Works Administration only hired men since women were considered physically incapable of construction work. Single mothers found it harder to cope because they had no man whose benefits they could enjoy.
The Native Americans - who are Red Indians - in Utah experienced slow economic growth during the depression. Before then, Indian policy was on allotment of land to the five bands: Kanosh, Shivwits, Koosharem, Indian Peaks and Cedar City which was only suitable at best for grazing. In 1936, the water supply was extremely low that they couldn’t even get to plant 70 acres (Murphy, 2009). However, their income increased to about $150 to $300 owing to their provision of basic services such as road work, wood hauling and pine nut sales which were in demand by the local citizens.
Roosevelt appointed a new commissioner of Indian Affairs who called for repealing of the Dawes Allotment Act in favor of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA). The IRA protected existing Indian lands and allowed them to purchase more. It improved the Kanosh and Shivwits –the only bands that participated in the reforms- financial status and exposed them to civil rights. Indian leaders adopted administration with a blend of western governance and traditional consensus seeking (Murphy, 2009). It, however, did not bring self-sufficiency to the Indians as an agent still decided which crops to grow and in what quantity.
During the Depression, there was pressure to reduce the number of Hispanics: Mexicans, Mexican Americans, Cubans, Dominicans and Puerto Ricans in the country, regardless of whether they were immigrants or citizens. At the borders, legal entry was slowed down by emphasizing on the literacy test of 1917. The threat of and deportation was rampant due to fears about competition for jobs preferred for the whites (Murphy, 2009). They experienced vigilante roundups such as a raid in Los Angeles where police surrounded a downtown park and detained 400 adults and children. At rock bottom, a third of the Mexican population had been moved back to Mexico.
The ones who remained in employment at the time were restricted to the lowest paying jobs and had their wages reduced over time. The Deal relieved to farm workers in California by establishing the Farm Security Administration. The CCC and WPA hired Mexicans on relief jobs, but the agricultural workers were not eligible for benefits under social security.
The Black community who were discriminated and prejudged suffered unfair sacking during the depression where there were calls for them to be fired and replaced with white workers (Murphy, 2009). Moreover, even jobs that had previously been regarded as demeaning and reserved were taken over by the whites. Racial violence increased in the South with lynching rising from 8 to 32 within a year (1932-1933) (Murphy, 2009). Roosevelt entertained African American visitors at the White House and had some black advisors. This gave them a sense of belonging, and they changed their voting patterns from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party.
The deal enabled them to secure loans and eventually own homes. There was still discrimination though in the housing and employment projects. During WWII, Roosevelt bowed to pressure to have blacks and all other minority groups drafted into the military.
The deal left some milestones such as stock market regulation by the securities act which encourages small investors. The Glass-Steagall Act and Federal Deposit Insurance offer insurance on bank accounts and savings. The Social Security act also serves people who are retiring. This makes the government a safety net in case of economic crises (Marsh, 2011). The government is also expected to resolve disputes between powerful groups.
Critics of the new Deal claim that it extended the Depression by tripling taxes, attacking private property rights, making it more expensive to hire people who discouraged hiring through the Wagner Act that reduced violence in labor relation and making it difficult to raise capital. These are a few among a myriad of other claims. However, the positive impact of the deal supersedes the cost it brought. Besides, the majority of the population benefitted unlike where the status quo had a few capitalists holding the reigns.
References
Marsh c. (2011). Great Depression and The New Deal: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Murphy R. (2009). The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Great Depression and the: New Deal.
