Hamiltonian And Jeffersonian Attitudes In Acts example essay topic

Franklin Roosevelt was in fact Hamiltonian in his espousal of big government, but Jeffersonian in his concern for the forgotten man. Roosevelt's New Deal program aided the independent man, while increasing the government's control. Roosevelt was Jeffersonian with his creation of jobs, and Hamiltonian with his control over banks and America's economy. New Deal policies helped create jobs for Americans, and also increased the power of the federal government. On March 31, 1933, the Unemployment Relief Act, a piece of the New Deal, was passed by congress. This act created the Civilian Conservation Corps, which made jobs for about 3 million American men.

These men helped conserve natural resources of the United States, while being paid by the American government. This policy was Jeffersonian, for it helped to make American men independent, by giving them jobs. Another Jeffersonian policy created in the New Deal was the Agricultural Adjustment Act, passed on May 12, 1933. This act made millions of dollars available to farmers who needed help to pay their mortgages.

This is a classic Jeffersonian-type policy, for it protects the base of the original Jeffersonian party, independent American farmers. The National Industry Recovery Act, passed on June 16, 1933, created the National Recovery Administration and the Public Works Administration. The former administration called for "fair competition", in which fewer hours were to be given to individual workers in an industry so that more workers may have jobs. Minimum wages were also created. The NRA also helped unions. The latter administration, the PWA, lessened unemployment as well.

This part of the New Deal was Jeffersonian because it aided the unemployed, forgotten, man. A Hamiltonian piece of the New Deal was the Emergency Banking Relief Act, passed on March 9, 1933. This act allowed the president to regulate banking transactions and foreign exchange, and it allowed him to reopen solvent banks. This sweeping control over America's banks by the executive branch of the federal government was Hamiltonian, for it restricted banks' freedoms while increasing federal power. Another Hamiltonian piece of the New Deal was the Glass-Steagall Banking Reform Act, passed on June 16, 1933. This act created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

The FDIC insured individual deposits that amounted up to $5000. This act was Hamiltonian because it put banks under the control of the federal government. Roosevelt's New Deal created many "alphabetical agencies", which all amounted to greater federal power. These agencies were the, FERA, HOLD, NRA, PWA, FDIC, CWA, SEC, FHA, RA, WPA, PUC, and the USHA. These agencies allowed greater federal control over something (banking, labor, job creation, utilities, trading, and such), and were thus Hamiltonian, as they espoused big government. President Theodore Roosevelt showed both Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian attitudes in acts that were made in his New Deal.

Roosevelt was Hamiltonian in his acts that increased the control of the federal government. He was Jeffersonian in his support of the common, forgotten, man of America, by creating many jobs.