Final answer:
The correct answer is option c) He wanted to protect the interests of the common people.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Franklin D. Roosevelt believed that the government should have more power than the big capitalists because he wanted to protect the interests of the common people. He held that the government should ensure justice to all economic forces in the nation by guaranteeing justice to both capital and labor, without dispensing favors. At the core of Roosevelt's New Deal policies was the idea that government intervention was crucial to recover from the Great Depression. Roosevelt's administration sought to stimulate recovery through federal relief, public works, social security, and unemployment insurance, among other programs, and to restore confidence in banks with stronger regulation of the economy. This aligned with his belief that a more active government role was essential for the welfare of all Americans, especially during a time of economic crisis.
In contrast to the laissez-faire economic system, Roosevelt implemented interventions that many believed helped to save capitalism rather than imposing socialism. His refusal to nationalize banks or factories showed his intent to reform rather than replace the nation's economic system. Despite his conservative-minded advisory group, the “Brains Trust”, Roosevelt did take measures that confronted corporate power, such as in the anthracite coal strike of 1902, signaling his belief in a proactive government role.
In conclusion, the correct answer to the student's question is c) He wanted to protect the interests of the common people. This was accomplished through a series of legislative proposals and government programs that expanded federal power and addressed economic turmoil.