The Roosevelts
Distant cousins Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt served the country as president with a 30 year gap in between their elections. During both administrations, the country experienced significant disparities in distribution of wealth, along with drastic economic downturns, such as the Great Depression. Both presidents announced their plans on handling the problems of the country’s economic environment. Stimulating the economy was in everyone’s interests, whether it was through battling unemployment or by gaining access to foreign markets. Though each president knew they had to satisfy their party’s interests, they sought to gain as much support as they could from their own political parties and others by expressing views on the wealthy and government intervention in economic reform. Theodore Roosevelt believed those with aggregated wealth had a responsibility to support their government in proportion to how much wealth they accumulated and for the protection and support it provided in gaining valuable assets. In his 1906 address to congress, Teddy Roosevelt stated his aim was to “distribute the burden of supporting the government more equitably than at the present. (105)” He acknowledges taxation as the main source of re
Franklin Roosevelt also recognized the imbalance of wealth in the country. However, his focus was less on the responsibility of those who were at the top of corporate order to support the government and more towards the responsibility of the government to protect and assist the unemployed. Because he didn’t view wealth as the number one asset that would allow the country to prosper, his emphasis was less on taking money away from the wealthy and more on creating programs to employ people and stimulate the economy. He believed the country’s view of material wealth as the “standard of success” was a falsity and that economic productivity could be fostered by first utilizing the country’s most natural resources, employing human laborers and by raising the value of agricultural products. Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt both acknowledged it would take time to implement economic reform. However, they felt differently on how urgent it was for the government to intervene. Throughout his congressional address, Theodore affirms that it will take time for his people to understand the need for a graduated tax system. “I am well aware that such a subject as this needs long and careful study… (106)” He also states to congress that progress towards the goa
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Approximate Word count = 857
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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