There were many lasting consequences of the New Deal: .
Many public roads, buildings and dams (such as Hoover Dam) that are still used today were erected by work programs during the New Deal. (P).
2. The power of the federal government increased as it took on new roles; promoting the general and economic welfare of the nation, and regulating business and finance to guarantee they would be socially responsible. (P).
3. The size of the bureaucracy increased as new agencies were created (CCC, FERA, SEC, etc.) (P).
4. Faith in democracy was restored, as FDR showed the world that government could solve serious problems without revolution, violence, or dictatorship. (P).
5. The President's legislative function was expanded. After FDR, Congress would look to the President to present ideas for new laws. (P).
6. It created a more just society by recognizing groups who had been unrepresented before – staple farmers and industrial workers, for example. (P) .
7. Some groups benefited more than others; New Deal laws allowed blacks and women to be paid less than white men. (N).
8. The New Deal was costly and put the government into debt. (N) .
9. The New Deal did not "solve" the Great Depression. By 1937, industry and consumer spending was only at 75% of the 1929 level. World War II really put an end to the depression. (N).
10. Many government programs that exist today have roots in the New Deal: modern welfare programs, farm subsidies, Americorp, minimum wage, the FDIC, Columbia River Reclamation Project and Social Security. (P).
1930's. The Great Depression. The American economy was in turmoil. President Herbert Hoover was not doing much to help his struggling nation. The people were ready for a new leader. When the 1932 presidential elections rolled around, Hoover found himself up against Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), who promised a "new deal" that would turn the country around. Roosevelt won in a landslide.