Final answer:
Herbert Hoover attempted to combat the Great Depression by providing loans to large companies through the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, but his approach was criticized for not directly helping those in need.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individual who tried to combat the Great Depression by providing large loans to companies in the hopes the money would trickle down was Herbert Hoover. This economic strategy was part of Hoover's policy to stimulate the economy from the top down, believing that aiding businesses would eventually benefit the workers as well. However, his policies were widely viewed as ineffective at alleviating the economic distress of the time, as they did little to directly aid those most in need, such as the unemployed and the poor.
Hoover created the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), which was aimed at boosting economic activity by providing financial support to banks, insurance companies, and other institutions. Despite these efforts, Hoover's approach to the crisis was criticized for being too conservative and not directly addressing the widespread poverty and unemployment that characterized the Great Depression. It was not until Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal that more direct forms of governmental assistance were implemented.