“Critics of the New Deal had limited impact.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that critics of the New Deal had limited impact. Candidates may support the statement by indicating that despite criticism from the left and from the right, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was able to pass nearly all New Deal legislation. Well-known critics include the American Liberty League, which warned of the dangers of socialism; Father Charles Coughlin who challenged the New Deal for not doing more; and Senator Huey Long with his Share the Wealth Clubs. The Republican Party was opposed to most of FDR’s programs but because of their limited numbers it had little impact. Candidates might counter the statement by emphasizing the Supreme Court rulings, declaring the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) and the National Recovery Administration (NRA) unconstitutional. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required candidates to consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that critics of the New Deal had limited impact. The question produced generally average responses that did not reflect an in-depth level of knowledge. There were a few instances of some rather strong analysis in which candidates included the critics from the left who maintained the New Deal had been inadequate to meet the needs of society. Most concentrated on the critics who charged the New Deal as socialistic, concentrated on the role of the Supreme Court, or discussed historical interpretations of the New Deal rather than contemporary critics.