The Second New Deal expanded on the original New Deal program, providing more direct government involvement and aid. Programs such as Social Security, the Federal Housing Authority, and the Works Progress Administration were created to help those in need during the Great Depression. The National Labor Relations Act was also passed, giving unions the right to organize and negotiate with employers. Roosevelt’s job creation programs were popular among low-income and minority Americans, leading to his re-election in 1936.
The Second New Deal was a continuation and expansion of the original New Deal program implemented by US President Roosevelt during the Great Depression. In 1933, Roosevelt’s New Deal was criticized, because many felt that it did not offer enough relief and that little was improved in terms of job growth and economic stability. The Second New Deal went much further in terms of direct government involvement and aid. Some of these programs are still in place, such as the Social Security Act and the Federal Housing Authority.
During the height of the Great Depression, many older and retired workers lived in poverty, with only about 3% receiving pensions of any kind. The Social Security Act was created to help these unemployed retirees become self-sufficient. The program is generally seen as a retirement insurance policy, funded by workers and their employers. The amount a retiree can earn from Social Security is based on his past contributions.
Another major program developed during the Second New Deal was the Federal Housing Authority (FHA). This mortgage insurance program was designed to help secure home loans for low-income families. Thanks to the creation of the FHA, many Americans who previously had no hope of buying a home have now been able to obtain the necessary financing. The dramatic increase in home sales as a direct result of FHA funding has helped improve the overall economy.
The Works Progress Administration (WPA), which was developed in 1935, was perhaps the most effective project undertaken during the Second New Deal. Over an eight-year period, some 9 million people were employed in the construction of airports, roads and government parks. The jobs were intended for Americans most in need and were initially only open to the unemployed.
In 1935, President Roosevelt succeeded in passing Congress the National Labor Relations Act. It was considered the first sweeping law aimed at regulating labor unions. Also known as the Wagner Law, it gave unions the protected right to organize and negotiate with their respective employers. Prior to this act, trade unions were considered disorganized and dishonest. This act required unions to hold certified elections and established a government body to oversee and address any allegations of wrongdoing within their ranks.
President Roosevelt won what was considered a landslide victory in his re-election campaign in 1936. Low-income and minority Americans who generally did not vote turned out in large numbers in a show of support for his job creation programs . It was during this election that African Americans switched their traditional Republican vote to the Democratic Party.
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