United States presidential election, 1932

From dKosopedia

Category: United States presidential elections

Wikipedia has an article on:

United States presidential election, 1932

The Contenders

Incumbent Herbert C. Hoover of Iowa, Republican

Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt of New York, Democrat

Norman Thomas, Socialist

The Issues

The Depression and the lack of the promised recovery; the debate between social welfare and "rugged individualism".

The Result

In 1928, Hoover won a landslide victory over New York Governor Al Smith in an election that showed voter approval of the state of the nation during the peak of the roaring twenties. But massive economic problems lurked underneath: the nation's farmers were already in a deep depression, and the growing disparity between the rich and the poor meant that there was more product than demand. The stock market crashed in late 1929, and the nation went into an economic downturn. Hoover was optimistic, promising that 'prosperity is just around the corner'. His Secretary of Treasury, Andrew Mellon, actually approved of the downturn, saying that it will 'purge the rottenness out of the system'. When prosperity failed to arrive, Hoover found himself debating between using federal funds to help out collapsed businesses and bankrupt individuals, or continuing with the cherished American tradition of "rugged independence". Rather halfheartedly, Hoover launched a few recovery efforts aimed at pumping up some key businesses; however, the recovery failed to materialize.

Roosevelt, Smith's successor in the New York statehouse, had implemented several successful social welfare programs in his state, and became a rising star within his party. He came into the race after an easy primary in which he defeated House Speaker John Nance Garner of Texas. Garner was given the vice-presidential slot on the ticket. Roosevelt argued that since Republicans had taken credit for the glory years of the 1920's, they should also take the blame for the collapse. In November, Roosevelt won a landslide victory, and the Democrats captured the House and the Senate. The Democrats held the presidency for the next twenty years.

Reflecting the dire conditions of the times, Socialist Norman Thomas won almost a million votes.

See also