Progressive Era vs the New Deal Era - Essay Example

It majorly emphasized fiscal and political restructuring movements. The economic reforms involved prolonged directives, enhanced antitrust groups, revenue, and the extension of collective insurance plans. The drift toward direct democracy throughout the period, allowed women to vote, professionalized rule, allowed voters more voice in selecting and evoking political officials, and even the freedom to vote in referenda on explicit matters. Similarly, the new deal era happened when America was facing one of its darkest moments in history. This is the period when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, inherited a government that needed serious intervention in one of the most difficult and critical periods of American history. The economy was in total subside, unemployment rose to 30%, inflation skyrocketed, and GDP fell by 50%. This period was referred to as the Great Depression, and it reached its peak in 1933. This was there Roosevelt took over the office and people anticipated fast answers from him. To react to the people’s expectations, he and FDR called an emergency session for congress and drafted the new deal legislation the first weekend of his inauguration (Gordon, 221).

After America overcame the 1890s depression, the economy embarked upon an epoch of relatively swift growth. The growth was outstanding although blemished by infrequent downturns (Polenberg, 9). The lasting in the industry continued to decrease the farm share of employment while attracting numerous new migrants into the mines ad industries in America. This growth in commerce also was allied with speed development in the dimension of manufacturing enterprises. Economic intensification and shifts in the organization of the economy often gave rise to new difficulties. Every downturn revived the fears of the repeat of the ruthlessness of the Depression of the 1890s thus resulting in people advocating for better techniques during these recessions and assisting those affected by the outcomes. Conversely, during the new deal era legislation was formulated to address issues dealing with unemployment which affected the American population immensely (Polenberg, 77). The first legislation passed during this remarkable session period famed as the 100 days, was the banking bill which was intended to stabilize the US banking system. This included declaring a countrywide bank holiday of closing down all banks aimed at stopping the distressing bank failures. Amazingly the house majorly comprised of democrats passed the bill after a debate that lasted 38 minutes even before seeing the text of the legislation. This period witnessed the most conservative government spending ever witnessed in the history of the US. The new deal inspired optimism among several Americans that recovery would be attained shortly. Although the new deal did not solve the depression, the economy made significant progress under the leadership of Roosevelt (Polenberg, 71). As time progressed, the economy grew slowly and painfully, and eventually, it stabilized as unemployment fell from its peak but remained appallingly high.

During the progressive era, numerous policies were formulated by the government. Regulation of interstate commerce, the establishment of a central bank, and the application of antitrust policies to large-scale companies were all regulated by the federal government. It as well expanded labor and merchandise market conventions and introduced new forms of social insurance. The new deal era made more lasting while arresting a more populist manner by explicitly attacking influential businesses and the rich.