Herbert Hoover versus Franklin D. Roosevelt

This explores the outcome of the 1932 presidential election between Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Great Depression was one of the most challenging periods in American history, and the responses of Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt to the crisis were starkly different. While Hoover believed in limited government intervention, Roosevelt proposed a more active role for the state in addressing the economic catastrophe. Their contrasting approaches shaped the outcome of the 1932 Presidential Election and set the course for America's recovery in the following years.

Hoover’s Response to the Great Depression

Herbert Hoover, who became president in 1929, initially believed that the economic downturn was caused by global factors beyond America’s control. As a self-made millionaire, Hoover was a firm believer in rugged individualism, the idea that people should be self-reliant and that the government should not intervene too much in the economy. He optimistically claimed that the Depression was a temporary setback, saying, "prosperity is just around the corner".

However, Hoover's response was seen by many as inadequate for the scale of the crisis. He thought that local communities, private charity, and individuals could solve the problem, rather than relying on federal government intervention. Hoover was also keen to maintain a balanced budget, which meant he was reluctant to spend large amounts of public money on relief efforts.

Despite his belief in limited government, Hoover did take some steps to address the situation:

• The 1930 Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act was passed, which raised taxes on foreign goods in an effort to encourage Americans to buy domestic products. While the aim was to stimulate the economy, it led to retaliatory tariffs from other countries, worsening the global trade situation.
• The Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) was set up in 1932 to lend money to banks, businesses, and railroads that were in danger of collapsing. The idea was to stabilise the economy by supporting key industries, but critics felt it mainly helped large corporations and ignored the needs of ordinary Americans.
• Hoover made $300 million available to state governments to fund public works projects, such as building roads and schools, but by 1933, only a small fraction of this money was actually used around $30 million.

Despite these measures, the economy continued to worsen, and Hoover's popularity plummeted as millions of Americans faced unemployment and homelessness.

Hoover’s Unpopularity

Hoover's inability to resolve the economic crisis led to widespread discontent. As poverty spread across the nation, many people began to associate him with the ongoing hardship. Shantytowns—makeshift communities of people living in squalid conditions—began to spring up on the outskirts of cities. These were mockingly called "Hoovervilles" by the public. Similarly, newspapers that homeless people used as blankets were referred to as "Hoover blankets".

In 1932, Hoover's handling of the Bonus March further damaged his reputation. Over 20,000 unemployed veterans from World War I gathered in Washington, DC, to demand an early payment of their war bonuses. Hoover refused to support their request, and when tensions escalated, he ordered General Douglas MacArthur to use military force to disperse the protesters. The army used guns, tanks, and tear gas to break up the protest, an action that was widely condemned and further fuelled public anger towards Hoover.

The 1932 Presidential Election

By 1932, Hoover’s unpopularity was palpable, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Democratic Party candidate, emerged as his main rival. Roosevelt had been elected governor of New York in 1928, and he had already gained a reputation for being a charismatic and effective leader.

Roosevelt's personal story also resonated with many Americans. In 1921, he contracted polio, which left him permanently paralysed from the waist down. Despite his disability, Roosevelt continued to be active in public life, and his ability to overcome personal challenges made him an inspirational figure. Many voters felt that Roosevelt’s experiences made him more relatable and in touch with the struggles of ordinary Americans.

Roosevelt’s message during the election campaign was clear. He promised a "New Deal" for the American people, which he described as a set of policies designed to tackle the Depression’s most immediate effects, while also reforming the American system to prevent future economic disasters. Roosevelt’s key policies included:

Policy Descriptions:

• Relief: Measures to provide immediate assistance to those suffering from the effects of the Depression, such as homelessness, hunger, and unemployment. This included government support for the unemployed, the sick, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups.
• Recovery: Job creation and efforts to stimulate economic recovery by investing in public works projects and helping businesses to stabilise.
• Reform: Structural changes to the American economy, aimed at ensuring that another Depression would not occur in the future. This included regulating financial markets, establishing social welfare systems, and reforming banking laws.

Roosevelt’s optimism, clear proposals, and willingness to take decisive action resonated strongly with voters who had become disillusioned with Hoover’s inability to address the crisis.

The Election Outcome

In the 1932 presidential election, Roosevelt won a landslide victory, with only 6 out of 48 states voting for Hoover. His victory was seen as a mandate for change and a rejection of Hoover’s handling of the Depression. Roosevelt’s win marked the beginning of a new era in American politics, with the New Deal providing the foundation for his presidency.

Hoover’s defeat was a clear indication that the American public had lost confidence in his leadership and that they were eager for a new approach to solving the country’s economic problems. Roosevelt’s victory signalled a shift towards greater government intervention in the economy and a commitment to addressing the suffering caused by the Great Depression.

Herbert Hoover’s presidency was marked by a belief in minimal government intervention and a reliance on individual responsibility, but his responses to the Great Depression were widely seen as inadequate. Despite some efforts, such as the Hawley-Smoot Tariff and the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Hoover was unable to reverse the economic downturn or alleviate the suffering of millions of Americans.

In contrast, Franklin D. Roosevelt presented a new vision for America, one that embraced government action to provide relief, create jobs, and reform the economy. Roosevelt’s charismatic leadership and his New Deal policies offered hope to a nation in crisis. His overwhelming victory in the 1932 election marked a turning point in American politics and set the stage for the dramatic changes that would follow in the coming years.