Final answer:
President Hoover viewed government-paid public work jobs as problematic due to their potential to foster government dependency. He advocated for minimal government intervention and had concerns about undermining private sector job growth. Hoover took some actions towards federal intervention, like the RFC, but mainly promoted limited government influence.
Step-by-step explanation:
What President Hoover saw as a problem with government-paid public work jobs was encouraging dependency on the government. Hoover did not advocate direct relief, such as federal welfare payments to impoverished individuals, due to his belief that it would lead to corruption and a dependency on the government. His reservations reflected a broader concern of the time that federal intervention through direct aid or employment programs might reduce individuals' self-reliance, leading to a permanent class of citizens dependent on government support.
Even as the economic crisis deepened, Hoover maintained a philosophy of limited government intervention. He favored a spirit of rugged individualism, hoping private charity and local efforts would suffice. Hoover was also reluctant to implement federal public works programs extensively because of a fear that they might undermine the recovery of the private sector and lead to excessive government intervention in the economy. However, faced with the severe economic downturn, Hoover did authorize some federal intervention programs such as the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) to stimulate economic recovery.