One difference between the administrations of President Roosevelt and President Hoover was that Roosevelt was

One difference between the administrations of President Roosevelt and President Hoover was that Roosevelt was

• A. more willing to use government intervention to solve economic problems
• B. less willing to intervene
• C. more focused on deficit reduction
• D. opposed to social welfare programs

Answer: (A)

Roosevelt's approach marked a shift toward an active federal government that directly tackled economic hardship. He launched a broad set of New Deal programs designed to provide relief to the unemployed, stimulate demand, and reform the economy. Public works, social insurance, financial reforms, and regulatory agencies were created to put money into pockets, create jobs, and restore confidence. Hoover, by contrast, favored limited government action, relying on voluntary cooperation, local relief, and a balanced budget rather than large-scale federal programs. He did establish some federal lending through the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, but his policies generally avoided the kind of nationwide interventions that characterized the New Deal. Because of this, the difference described—Roosevelt being more willing to use government intervention to solve economic problems—best captures the shift in approach between the two administrations.

Roosevelt's approach marked a shift toward an active federal government that directly tackled economic hardship. He launched a broad set of New Deal programs designed to provide relief to the unemployed, stimulate demand, and reform the economy. Public works, social insurance, financial reforms, and regulatory agencies were created to put money into pockets, create jobs, and restore confidence. Hoover, by contrast, favored limited government action, relying on voluntary cooperation, local relief, and a balanced budget rather than large-scale federal programs. He did establish some federal lending through the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, but his policies generally avoided the kind of nationwide interventions that characterized the New Deal. Because of this, the difference described—Roosevelt being more willing to use government intervention to solve economic problems—best captures the shift in approach between the two administrations.