The New Deal Comes Under
Attack
• Opposition to the New Deal grew among some parts of the
population.
• Liberal critics argued that the New Deal did not go far enough
to help the poor & to reform the nation’s economic system.
• Conservative critics argued that FDR spent too much on direct
relief & used New Deal policies to control business & socialize
the economy.
Supreme Court Reacts New Deal
• Two Supreme Court decisions opposed the New Deal.
• 1935, the Court struck down the NIRA as unconstitutional,
declaring that the law gave the legislature powers to the
executive branch when dealing with industry.
• 1936, the Court struck down the AAA on the grounds that
agriculture is a local matter & should be regulated by the states
rather than the federal government.
• FDR upset by the rulings & feared that further Court decisions
might dismantle the New Deal, in 1937 he proposed that
Congress reorganize the Federal Judiciary & allow him to
appoint six new Supreme Court Justices.
• FDR’s goal was to make the Court more sympathetic to his New
Deal programs.
• Many in press & public became outraged (charged him with
“court packing”) at FDR’s attempt to increase his power &
threaten the separation of powers.
• Later, rulings of the Court began to shift in Roosevelt’s favor as
justices retired & FDR appointed his supporters (7 new
Justices 1937-1941)
New Opportunities for Women
• FDR named several women to important official
positions.
• Frances Perkins, became the first female Cabinet
member (Sec of Labor). She played a major role in
crafting the Social Security Legislation & crafting of
labor legislation.
• In making the appointments, FDR appealed to a new
voting base = Female voters.
• New Deal laws yielded mixed results for women.
• Women earned lower wages then men in the New
Deal work programs & the CCC only hired men.
• However, women in the workforce did increase in the
1930’s, especially married working women (up 15%).
African Americans
• FDR had a mixed record when it came to civil rights.
• He created “Black Cabinet” of influential African Americans to
advise him on racial issues.
• Eleanor Roosevelt played a critical role in opening doors for
African Americans.
• However, FDR never fully committed to civil rights for African
Americans.
• He was afraid of upsetting Southern whites, an important
segment of voters.
• He refused to support a federal anti-lynching law & an end to
poll taxes, two key goals of the civil rights movement.
• He allowed AA’s to benefit from New Deal programs but
favored white workers for providing direct relief & jobs.
• AA’s also received lower wages than whites & were segregated
from whites.
• Many AA’s did support FDR & New Deal and abandoned their
traditional allegiance to the Republican Party.
• Many AA’s saw FDR as their best hope.
Mexican Americans
• Tended to support the New Deal, though received fewer
benefits than African Americans.
• Large # of Mexican Americans came to U.S. in 1920’s & settled
mainly in the Southwest. Most worked as farm laborers which
wasn’t an occupation that was protected by the Govt.
• Wages remained low & tried to unionize, but were met with
resistance & violence.
Native Americans
• In 1924, Native Americans received full citizenship by law &
later strongly supported the New Deal.
• FDR’s administration with the assistance of John Collier (NA
activist) created the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.
• Act strengthened Native Americans land claims by prohibiting
the Govt from taking unclaimed reservation lands & selling
them to people other than Native Americans.
• 1934 Act was able to restore some reservation lands & tribal
ownership.