During the 1930's, America witnessed a breakdown of the Democratic and .
free enterprise system as the US fell into the worst depression in history. .
The economic depression that beset the United States and other countries .
was unique in its severity and its consequences. At the depth of the depression, .
in 1933, one American worker in every four was out of a job. The great industrial .
slump continued throughout the 1930's, shaking the foundations of Western .
capitalism. .
The New Deal describes the program of US president Franklin D. Roosevelt .
from 1933 to 1939 of relief, recovery, and reform. These new policies aimed to .
solve the economic problems created by the depression of the 1930's. When Roosevelt .
was nominated, he said, "I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the .
American people." The New Deal included federal action of unprecedented scope to .
stimulate industrial recovery, assist victims of the Depression, guarantee minimum .
living standards, and prevent future economic crises. Many economic, political, and .
social factors lead up to the New Deal. Staggering statistics, like a 25% unemployment .
rate, and the fact that 20% of NYC school children were under weight and malnourished, .
made it clear immediate action was necessary. .
In the first two years, the New Deal was concerned mainly with relief, .
setting up shelters and soup kitchens to feed the millions of unemployed. However .
as time progressed, the focus shifted towards recovery. In order to accomplish this .
monumental task, several agencies were created. The National Recovery Administration .
(NRA) was the keystone of the early new deal program launched by Roosevelt. It was .
created in June 1933 under the terms of the National Industrial Recovery Act. The NRA .
permitted businesses to draft "codes of fair competition," with presidential approval, .
that regulated prices, wages, working conditions, and credit terms. Businesses that .
complied with the codes were exempted from antitrust laws, and workers were given the .
