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13: The Great Depression and the New Deal: A People's Victory

Unchecked greed triggered the collapse of 1929 — the Great Depression.

  • Banks gambled and failed.
  • Businesses shuttered.
  • Unemployment hit 25%.
  • Millions lost homes and farms.

The system had failed the people.
The elites tried to hold on to power, but mass suffering forced change.

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal wasn’t born from kindness. It was born from fear: fear that without reform, revolution would come.

The New Deal brought:

  • Social Security
  • Unemployment insurance
  • Public jobs programs
  • Banking regulations
  • The right to unionize

It didn't dismantle capitalism — but it reined it in.
It showed that massive public investment for the people could stabilize society.

The lesson?
Change happens when elites fear the people more than they fear losing profit.


Sources and Further Reading:

  • FDR and the New Deal — U.S. National Archives
  • A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn (Depression-era chapters)

Recommended Books:

  • The New Deal: A Modern History by Michael Hiltzik
  • Capitalism Hits the Fan by Richard Wolff

Action Steps:

  • Demand modern New Deal-style reforms: healthcare, housing, education.
  • Support protests like May Day Strong.

Follow the series at: http://nokingsinphilly.blogspot.com/

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