Question

Why might a historian consider the era of the New Deal to be a turning point in American political history?

Answer 1

From a historical point of view, The New Deal can be considered a turning point because before 1932 American political history had been dominated by the Republican Party from 1896 to 1932- except in 1912 during which Democrats held the white House for 8 years. That era is known as the Fourth Party System or Progressive Era. In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed The New Deal which included emergency relief programs, work relief programs, agricultural programs and banking reform laws and regulations. The aim was to address the economic and social problems caused by the Great Depression. With these new deal, the voting blocs and groups of interest realigned to support the Democratic Party, thus starting the era known as the Fifth Party System or the New Deal Party System. American political history was dominated by Democrats from 1932 through 1965, and has been mostly Republican at the presidential level since 1968. Experts debate whether the Fifth Party System ended in the mid-1960s, the early 1980s, the mid-1990s, or possibly continues to the present.

Answer 2

Created under the Roosevelt administration, the new deal resulted in a large number of programs, public works projects, financial reforms and regulations that, to a large extent, changed the way Americans perceived the roles and responsibilities of government.

From the time of the founding fathers, the role of the state had been resulting in an oblivion of the people and had become accustomed to benefiting the most privileged. This was the opportune moment to return to resume the direction of a government for the people based on the following measures:

The increase in the role and power of the federal state

A more significant role of the unions in the march of the economy

A greater commitment of the state to the welfare of citizens, but without falling into interventionism.

A general acceptance that the road to democracy goes through not forgetting the problems of minorities.