The Response to the Economic Collapse History Alive CH 31
O Imagine that you are a government official who must respond to the pleas of the children in this image. O What will you tell them can be done to help them and their families?
Responses O Read the following 3 responses and decide which response you most agree with. Write down a few sentences explaining your choice.
RESPONSE A America won t let you down, ma am. If you work really hard, you will eventually find a job to support yourself and your family. In this country, hard work and perseverance always pay off. Maybe for right now, though, your church or a charity near your home can help you and your family. Personal responsibility and local organizations are the answers to your problems RESPONSE B I feel truly horrible about your situation. You must be very frustrated. But help is on the way. Soon the government will start programs to provide a job for you. The government will make sure you can pay your rent. The president and Congress will help you. More government programs is the answer to your problems. RESPONSE C Wealthy Americans must stop being so greedy! The government needs to tax the wealthy heavily and give some of that money to those who live in poverty. Redistributing or sharing the wealth is the answer to your problems.
Response to Economic Collapse O Stock market crash had everyone looking for work O Portland, Oregon Walter Waters O WWI Vets had been promised a bonus O Waters organized a march of former soldiers in Washington to persuade Congress to accelerate the payment of the bonus
*Promise of the bonus for veterans dated back to 1924 *Congress promised $1 for every day served plus an extra.25 for each day overseas *Catch was bonuses wouldn t be paid until 1945 as a retirement benefit *Waters and about 250 other soldiers made their way to D.C. picking people up along the way *Bonus Army *Veterans vowed to say in D.C. until the bonus was paid
Ideological Responses to the Economic Crisis O By early summer 1932 more than 12,000 soldiers had arrived to D.C. as parts of the Bonus Army O Ideologies shaped people s opinions of how these situations should be dealt with O Ideology: set of basic ideas, beliefs, and values that form the basis of a social, economic, or political philosophy or program. O Say that civilization is a tree which, as it grows, continually produces rot and dead wood The Radical says Cut it down Conservative says Don t Touch it Liberal says Let s prune, so that we lose neither the old trunk nor the new branches
Conservative Response: Let the Economy Stabilize O Conservative: cherishes and seeks to preserve traditional customs and values O In the 1930s these included selfreliance, individual responsibility, and personal liberty. O Like the way things are, not sudden change O Opposed large government efforts to start change felt this challenged their values.
Conservative Response: Let the Economy Stabilize OConservatives argued that if we left the economy alone it would stabilize itself and begin to improve OSome economists agreed OSaid that periods of economic growth are followed but economic down turns
Conservative Response: Let the Economy Stabilize O At start of Depression many felt this way suffered in silence O As depression progressed many had to ask for help O Conservatives insisted that charities take on the task of providing necessities O Local governments responsibility to care for the poor
Liberal Response: The Government Must Help O Liberal: Someone committed to the expansion of liberty O 1800s liberals focused on protecting individual liberty from the heavy hand of government O Limited government individuals free to exercise their rights
Liberal Response: The Government Must Help O As big businesses grew, liberals mindsets changed O Limited government offered little protection from bad working conditions O Liberals changed their mind and thought government should play a role in some economic decisions
Liberal Response: The Government Must Help O As Depression set in liberals wanted the government to protect people this time protect them from hunger and poverty
Liberal Response: The Government Must Help O 1. increase spending on public works -roads, bridges, dams create jobs for the unemployed O 2. new taxes on corporations and the wealthy to raise money -redistribute money from the haves to the have nots O 3. government should aid business recovery
The Radical Response: Capitalism Must Go O Radical: someone who wants sweeping change O Little patience for what is and want change now O 1930s socialists and communists were attracting support for their calls for change
The Radical Response: Capitalism Must Go O Communists wanted to replace our capitalist economy with communism -economic decisions would be moved out the marketplace and into the hands of the government O Radicals encouraged the working class to rise up against the greedy capitalists
Decide which political ideology - conservative, liberal or radical is best represented by each illustration. Next to the illustration write the name of that ideology then write a sentence or two summarizing what supporters of that ideology believe about how to address economic issues.