Roosevelt's New Deal Coalition Success
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How successful were Roosevelt’s attempts to build a New Deal coalition?
ESSAY
Roosevelt's attempts to build a New Deal coalition were largely successful in the 1932 Presidential Election and the 1934 mid-terms, as evidenced by the complete control of Congress that FDR gained and the broad electoral coalition he managed to bring together. This coalition comprised various groups, including labour unions, liberals, religious, ethnic and racial minorities, Southern whites, poor individuals, and those benefiting from federal relief programs. The diverse support base was pivotal to Democratic success in the subsequent years.
Roosevelt strategically utilized party machinery in big cities to offset his electoral disadvantage in suburban and rural areas. By leveraging the spending by the Works Progress Administration, he not only boosted support among groups and individuals, but also ensured managerial positions for Democrat supporters. The significant voter turnout from those on relief payrolls during the 1936 election, with a vast majority voting for Roosevelt, underscored the effectiveness of his policies in garnering loyalty from key demographics.
Labour unions, especially concentrated in urban areas, played a crucial role in supporting Roosevelt's administration, with a majority of union members voting for him in elections. Similarly, Irish, Italian, and Jewish voters overwhelmingly supported FDR, further solidifying the coalition. The strong backing from the nation's major cities in the 1936 election highlighted the success of Roosevelt's efforts to consolidate support in key urban areas.
However, it is important to recognize that the New Deal coalition was not formally organized, and there were significant political disagreements among the groups backing Roosevelt. Additionally, the decline in middle-class voter support for Roosevelt following the 1937 recession points to challenges faced by the coalition.
Overall, while Roosevelt was successful in building a broad electoral coalition that propelled the Democratic Party to dominance for many years, the coalition's informal nature and internal divisions highlight the complexities and limitations of sustaining such a diverse political alliance.
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How successful were Roosevelt’s attempts to build a New Deal coalition?
The 1932 Presidential Election and the 1934 mid-terms gave FDR complete control of Congress and brought together an electoral coalition of voters which was the key to Democratic success for many years to come. These groups included labour unions, liberals, religious, ethnic and racial minorities (Catholics, Jews and Blacks), Southern whites, poor people and those supported by federal relief programmes.
Roosevelt used party machinery in big cities to overcome the relative electoral disadvantage he had in the suburbs and towns. During the 1930s spending by the Works Progress Administration was used to organize groups and give managerial positions to Democrat backers. The 3.5 million voters on relief payrolls during the 1936 election cast 82% of their ballots for Roosevelt.
The vibrant labour unions, heavily based in the cities, likewise did their utmost for their benefactor, voting 80% for him, as did Irish, Italian and Jewish voters. In all, the nation's 106 cities over 100,000 population voted 70% for FDR in 1936, compared to 59% elsewhere.
It should also be acknowledged that the coalition was never formally organized and that there were often major political disagreements between groups which supported it. The drop-off in middle class voters choosing Roosevelt after the 1937 recession could also be discussed. Accept other valid responses.