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Summary New Deal Criticisms
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This covers the criticisms of the New Deal and FDR's opposition including the Supreme Court.
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Opposition and Criticisms of the New DealOpposition to the New Deal:
The first New Deal was full of compromises with business leaders, bankers, etc.
1934 - midterm election outs more liberals in Congress causing a sharp increase in the
protest votes for socialist and communist candidates.
1935 - These compromises lead to protests from the Left, this opposition included farmers
and old-style progressives.
Populist Opposition:
FDR faced opposition from the End of Poverty in California (EPIC) movement led by Upton
Sinclair.
FDR also faced opposition from the Old Age Revolving Pension scheme promoted by Dr.
Francis Townsend.
Another popular vehicle of criticism was the through the ‘Radio Priest’ Father Charles
Coughlin, who hosted a Sunday night radio show and had 30 million listeners.
➢ He was particularly popular with Irish-American Catholics and was strongly
anti-communist.
➢ 1934 - Coughlin turned against FDR and was attacking him as ‘communist’ and being
dominated by ‘Jewish bankers’.
1934/1935 - FDR faced the most opposition from the Governor of Louisiana, Huey Long.
Long had backed the New Deal at first but then thought that FDR was too ready to go along
with bug businesses.
➢ 1934 - Long set up the Share Our Wealth movement which promised to tax the rich
harder and redistribute wealth to every household.
➢ He also ran his own radio show which attracted large audiences.
➢ Allegedly FDR’s fear of Huey Long was a factor in his decision to bring in the Second
New Deal.
Opposition Within the Democratic Party:
Al Smith carried on his feud with FDR.
Some conservative Democrats supported the American Liberty League - which claimed FDR
was ‘Sovietising America’.
Parts of big businesses renounced the New Deal as un-American.
Opposition from the Supreme Court:
1935 - The SC struck down the Farm Mortgage Act and ruled that parts of the NRA were
unconstitutional.
Some of the justices were conservatives appointed under previous Republican presidencies.
Judiciary Reform Bill 1937 - Also known as FDR’s ‘court-packing bill’. Would allow FDR to
appoint six new judges, one for every judge over 70. Criticised by both Republicans and
Democrats.
Roosevelt Recession:
1937/1938 - when economic recovery was set back.
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