was the new deal radical or essentially conservative?

Question

give evidence/examples to support your answer please
best answer gets 10 pts!!

Answer 1

It was radical in two ways: (1) In the '20's, the attitude of the American people toward the government was largely one of mistrust due to several scandals involving elected officials -- Teapot Dome is the one that sticks out the most because it involved the President. Also, the long-standing view was that the role of the Federal Government was mostly for oversight of the United States, so no one ever thought that Capitol Hill would be involved in sweeping social programs. The New Deal changed those perceptions. (2) It was radical as opposed to conservative because conservatives believe in minimal government interference in the lives of the private citizen, thereby making individual citizens responsible for their own success or failure. The New Deal was chock-full of programs designed to have the government come to the rescue of the private citizens and instate certain protections against future depressions. On the upside, the Federal Government did help millions of Americans during the Great Depression, but on the downside it also whittled away at the freedom of the private citizen while at the same time giving more power to the Federal Government (not to mention the fact that it was the initial push that led to the huge monster of a Federal Government we have today that has even more power and has taken away even more freedom from the private citizens).

Answer 2

It was a radical change in government taking over the responsibilities from the states to care for their own people. We are still living with the welfare state it created where welfare reforms are anathema to politicians because they do not DARE to touch, much less discuss, the "entitlements" that are in the federal budget. While the welfare system does help some, I am afraid a lack of monitoring has made it an albatross we will never get rid of as moochers get what is NOT really due them. WE are one step from becoming a socialist state, and that will happen soon as the democrats introduce and push through.socialized medicine. Then the cycle will be complete!!

Chow!!