Final answer:
The switch to FDR and the Democrats in the early 1930s was prompted by the economic crises of the Great Depression and the public's desire for a more active government role in providing relief and reform, leading to Roosevelt's landslide victory and the New Deal's implementation.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the early 1930s, the United States was grappling with the Great Depression, marked by unprecedented unemployment and economic despair. The shift to Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) and the Democrats was due to the perception that the incumbent Republican administration under President Herbert Hoover was insufficiently addressing the crisis.
Roosevelt introduced the New Deal, a series of government programs and reforms aimed at economic recovery, relief for the poor, and financial reform. This approach, combined with Roosevelt's charismatic leadership and promises of a more active role for the federal government in providing direct relief, led to a landslide victory for the Democrats.
As the 1932 election approached, many voters saw Roosevelt's policies as a welcome change from Hoover's 'rugged individualism.' Roosevelt's empathetic public persona, contrasted starkly with the struggles under Hoover's policy, cultivating a sense of optimism that resonated with the electorate. The subsequent electoral success of the Democrats in the 1932 and 1934 elections signified a clear mandate for change.