Activity 2: Source Analysis - The New Deal

Shortly after Roosevelt's election in 1933, he began a series of radio broadcasts to the nation which became known as his 'Fireside Chats'. This extract is from his second broadcast on May 7th 1933.

"I am certain that the people of this country understand and approve the broad purposes behind these new governmental policies relating to agriculture and industry and transportation. We found ourselves faced with more agricultural products than we could possibly consume ourselves and surpluses which other nations did not have the cash to buy from us except at prices ruinously low. We have found our factories able to turn out more goods that we could possibly consume, and at the same time we were faced with a falling export demand. We found ourselves with more facilities to transport goods and crops than there were goods and crops to be transported. All of this has been caused in large part by a complete lack of planning and a complete failure to understand the danger signals that have been flying ever since the close of the World War. The people of this country have been erroneously encouraged to believe that they could keep on increasing the output of farm and factory indefinitely and that some magician would find ways and means for that increased output to be consumed with reasonable profit to the producer."

Page 6 of the original 1933 transcript of the speech. Click on the image to see a larger version.

The first two questions have two boxes. Write your answer in the first box below each question. In the second box, copy and paste the part of the extract above which provides evidence for your answer. The third question is more general, for you to think about. Lots of answers could be right.