The Great Depression vs Democracy in America

Document Type:Research Paper

Subject Area:History

Document 1

Even though America seemed to be falling apart in the 1930s, the ultimate consequences of Great Depression were considerably less revolutionary than reassuring to the people of America due to the turbulence and panic (Field, 2013, p. Moreover, the era was characterized by various extraordinary political innovations especially through the political reforms that were expressed and enacted during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidential reign. The period encompassed the New Deal that was passed during Roosevelt's administration to help to cope up with the challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and disintegration of the economy of America. Based on the consequences of the Great Depression, the epidemic was a severe threat to democracy. Furthermore, due to the great depression, the American intellectuals lost confidence in the significance of politics and social movements. The Americans were disillusioned by the consequences of World War I thus; their interests in social movements and politics declined by a broad margin.

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Besides, the Americans portrayed great affections for their lives in the country primarily due to the low living standards during the great depression. According to the American novelists, composers, artists, poets, and scientists, the United States was politically and culturally inferior to Europe (Galston, 2018, p. Therefore, the citizens shifted their interests in politics to other modernists’ techniques in areas surrounding literature, music, painting, and the advanced study of science. With the influence of Hitler's government and peoples' shift to the Soviet Union, the American Communist Party, and Marxism significantly threatened democracy in the United States. Moreover, capitalism in America collapsed thus; leading to the emergence of social order and the Soviet Union. Similarly, the first successful Marxist essentially inspired revolution in the 1930s leading to a particular embodiment of social experiment that significantly threatened democracy in the country.

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The Soviet Union offered uncompromising opposition to the Nazi of Germany especially when the union drew support from the United States, France, and Britain (Hanes, 2018, p. This led to the introduction of the successful front partnership among the socialists and liberals, especially within the European democracies. On the other hand, Dos Passos, Wilson, and Hook initially supported socialist revolution during the great depression and had compelling efforts towards the need to adopt communism. Such supports to the Communists parties during the great depression significantly threatened democracy in the United States. In conclusion, the great depression in America significantly threatened democracy in the country. For example, the citizens lost faith and confidence in democratic government after it had failed to solve some of the problems caused by the great depression. The Americans were also influenced by other countries such as France and Britain that had shifted from democratic government and enjoyed certain benefits such creation of employment.

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Besides, the American intellectuals lost confidence in the significance of politics and social movements. For example, According to the American novelists, composers, artists, poets, and scientists, the United States was politically and culturally inferior to Europe (Lichtenstein, 2017, p. Therefore, the citizens shifted their interests in politics to other modernists’ techniques in areas surrounding literature, music, painting, and the advanced study of science. This was a significant threat to democracy in the country. References Field, A. The United States in the Great Depression. University of Illinois Press.

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