“President Truman failed in his attempt to establish the Fair Deal.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that President Truman failed in his attempt to establish the Fair Deal. Candidates may offer equal coverage of evidence supporting successful establishment of the Fair Deal and evidence indicating limited establishment, or they may prioritize their discussion of either position. However, both aspects will be a feature of the response. Candidates may refer to Truman’s success in the expansion of social security and the minimum wage, passage of the Public Housing and Slum Clearance Act and desegregation of the armed forces. Other relevant factors may be addressed, for example the failure to gain approval for national health insurance and civil rights legislation or obtain the repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act, but with a focus on the issue in the question. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

Very few candidates chose to evaluate whether Truman was successful in establishing the Fair Deal.