Question

What was one of the first things President Hoover did to combat the effects of the Great Depression?

He did nothing, thinking the economic crisis would mend itself with time.
He refused to pass the Smoot-Hawley Tariff, which would have lowered rates.
He sought passage of the controversial National Industrial Recovery Act.
He asked businesses to decrease production and increase employment.

Answer 1

He asked businesses to decrease production and increase employment.

Answer 2

He did nothing, thinking the economic crisis would mend itself with time.

Hoover was a laissez-faire Republican who believed the government should not interfere with the economy.

Hoover's approach to the Great Depression was to do nothing initially. He believed it was a normal part of the boom-bust economic cycle. As the Depression moved on, Hoover used a method of volunteerism. Volunteerism asked those with money to give to others and to invest their money back into the banks and job creation.