Question

A fundamental disagreement between the candidates in the 1932 presidential election concerned whether or not

a. an economic "depression" existed.
b. the federal government should get involved with trying to ease the economic crisis and provide assistance to Americans.
c. Americans should offer aid to European economies.
d. taxes should be increased on exports to and decreased on imports from European countries.

Answer 1

The main disagreement in the 1932 presidential election was on the role of federal government in providing economic assistance, with Hoover favoring limited intervention and Roosevelt advocating for active involvement and direct relief through New Deal policies.

Step-by-step explanation:

The fundamental disagreement between the candidates in the 1932 presidential election was whether b. the federal government should get involved with trying to ease the economic crisis and provide assistance to Americans. This election was seen as a referendum on President Hoover's policies of “rugged individualism” and his administration's response to the Great Depression. President Hoover, a proponent of minimal government intervention, hesitated to provide direct relief during the economic crisis, which was in line with the traditions of limited government at the time. In contrast, Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) promised a New Deal, involving federal government intervention and direct relief to citizens, marking a departure from Hoover’s policies.

Hoover's reluctance to intervene directly in the economy reflected longstanding beliefs in American individualism and self-reliance. However, the severity of the Great Depression shifted public opinion, and there was a growing belief that only federal intervention could alleviate the economic distress faced by so many Americans. Roosevelt would ultimately unite various Democratic Party factions and win in a landslide, reflecting the public's desire for change more than any internal party unity.

Answer 2

A fundamental disagreement between the candidates in the 1932 presidential election concerned whether or not "b. the federal government should get involved with trying to ease the economic crisis and provide assistance to Americans." FDR won, and went on to implement some of the most sweeping and drastic government interventions in the economy of all time.