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What Was New About the New Deal?

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  • Price V. Fishback
  • John Joseph Wallis

Abstract

During the presidential election of 1932 Franklin Roosevelt promised a New Deal for the American people. Our goal is to describe the changes wrought by the New Deal. To what extent did the New Deal expand existing programs? What new programs were created at all levels of government? How did the Federal government take over programs that had previously been the responsibility of state and local governments? We then survey the recent research that examines the impact of the programs. Finally, why did some programs persist and others fail?

Suggested Citation

  • Price V. Fishback & John Joseph Wallis, 2012. "What Was New About the New Deal?," NBER Working Papers 18271, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:18271
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Mathieu Pedemonte, 2020. "Fireside Chats: Communication and Consumers’ Expectations in the Great Depression," Working Papers 20-30, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    3. Bailey, Martha J. & Duquette, Nicolas J., 2014. "How Johnson Fought the War on Poverty: The Economics and Politics of Funding at the Office of Economic Opportunity," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 74(2), pages 351-388, June.

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    JEL classification:

    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H7 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations
    • N12 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-
    • N42 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-
    • N9 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History

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