The New Deal: Success or Failure?

Abstract

Several difficulties confront us in attempting an appraisal of the effectiveness of the New Deal. Even the fact of a code name ‘New Deal’, with the derived term ‘New Dealer’, creates a barrier; as with all such terms with a quasi-religious symbolism – from ‘Corn Laws’ to ‘Black Power’ – the very words assume an emotive significance which inhibits purely rational investigation and assessment. By the late 1960s, the expression ‘Old New Dealer’ had become a term of abuse in contemporary politics, implying a senile left-over from the 1930s. A second difficulty is the identification of New Deal policies with the personality of President Roosevelt, a man who excited deep feelings both of support and opposition. It is perhaps difficult to admire the man and yet pronounce his policies unsuccessful – or vice versa.