RateItAll: The Opinion Network

Not very surprising at the end of the day. Hoover in 1932 simply couldn't catch a break. The economy was continuing in the free-fall that began in 1929. The Great Depression was nearing its peak by the end of 1932. The unemployment rate was up to 25 percent; people were living with a lot less and they were beginning to blame Hoover for their troubles. The perception was that he was unresponsive to the needs of the people. Many blamed the deepening of the depression on a high tariff policy enacted in 1931 that only ended up stifling much needed international trade and capital infusions. The feeling of the times couldn't be reflected better than by the Bonus Army march. These were World War 1 veterans who decendended on Washington DC to demand their monthly pension pay, which Congress cut back as part of an austerity plan to balance the budget. General Douglas MacArthur, with the approval of Hoover, sent army units into these peaceful protestors and chased them out of Washington. For the first time, many were beginning to believe that there was going to be a revolution that would topple the entire government in Washington. Communism and radical socialist movements were growing in popularity not just in the US but throughout the world. Hoover was simply caught in political cross-currents that were much larger than he could handle.

As I have said before, Hoover was a good man, probably a better man than FDR but his economic panaceas for the depression were extremely conventional. He proposed higher Tariffs to help the farmers but this brought reprisal abroad and made things worse for them. Hoover shunned the idea of regulating business and instead urged business leaders to maintain jobs, wages and prices voluntarily, this policy ostensibly failed as unemployment rose from 3% to 25% in the period 1929-1933. In any event FDR proposed a decidedly interventionist approach declaring The country needs, and unless I mistake it's temper, the country demands bold, persistent experimentation. Hoover declared FDR's proposals would destroy the very foundations of the American system. By not offering radical solutions to radical problems and instead being exceedingly cautious, Hoover became seen as weak and ineffectual in stark contrast to the evidently powerful and charismatic FDR who won with a resounding 7 million votes over Hoover.

This was pretty much to be expected. Although it wasn't due to any of his doing, Hoover was largely blamed for the Depression. Americans in Hoovervilles everywhere punched their vote to evict Hoover from the White House.