How did the New Deal policies and programs of FDR affect New Jersey?

The Great Depression was one of the main challenges to the entire American society. It was the most serious economic crisis that struck the USA as well as many other countries of the world. At the same time, the negative effects of the Great Depression were particularly obvious on the local level, especially in large cities such as New Jersey. In such a situation, the measures undertaken by the federal government were extremely important to the entire country and influenced consistently the recovery of such large cities as New Jersey. In this respect, it is worth mentioning the fact that the New Deal and other policies conducted by Roosevelt Administration assisted consistently to the revival of the economy not only at the national level but also at the local level.

On analyzing the development of New Jersey during the Great Depression and the impact of the New Deal on New Jersey, it should be said that the city was dramatically affected by the economic crisis. In fact, the major problems that could be found in the USA at the epoch were multiplied in New Jersey as well as in other large cities because large cities proved to be particularly vulnerable to the negative impact of the Great Depression. The problem was that New Jersey was densely populated but the decrease of economic activities led to the emergence of a number of social and economic problems. In this respect, it is worth mentioning the problem of unemployment as one of the major challenges to New Jersey because it provoked a number of other problems. For instance, unemployment was one of the major causes of the growth of crime rates. In addition, the unemployment led to the increase of social tension and rapid pauperization of a considerable part of the population of the city. In such a situation, New Jersey needed consistent changes to improve the socioeconomic situation consistently in order to restore the social order and solve the bunch of social and economic problems the city was not able to cope with without the assistance of the federal government.

In such a context, the New Deal policy proved to be particularly effective and helpful to New Jersey. First of all, it should be said that the main efforts of the federal as well as local government were directed to the solution of the problem of unemployment because the lack of job opportunities deprived a large number of people means for living.

Therefore, they face the problem of survival in the situation when they had no legal opportunities for earning money.

As a result, people were forced to commit crimes or organize active social protests and riots. The introduction of the New Deal policies stimulated the recovery of the economy of New Jersey and the reduction of the unemployment because the new policies implied the minimization of the level of unemployment with the help of the state. In this respect, it is worth mentioning the creation of Works Progress Administration, which assisted to the solution of the problem of unemployment and assisted unemployed to find a job.

At the same time, it should be said that New Jersey partially solved the problem of unemployment through the involvement of a large number of unemployed in the construction of roads, bridges and development of the city infrastructure. Basically, this policy was a direct effect of the New Deal. The Federal government encouraged the state funding of special programs which aimed at the development of infrastructure nationwide. In such a way, the employment of people in the public services and state funded programs helped the city to solve the problem of unemployment, at least partially.

In addition, the New Deal and the economic policies leading to the development of infrastructure contributed to the revival of economic activities in New Jersey as well as in other large cities of the USA because people building bridges and roads improved the infrastructure which could be used efficiently for the fast and reliable delivery of products and services throughout the city and encouraged the development of trade.

On the other hand, the New Deal and other policies conducted by the Roosevelt Administration led to the consistent change in the attitude of the state to citizens. The development of the welfare state encouraged the emergence of civil rights movement among workers living and working in New Jersey. To put it more precisely, they attempted to protect their rights and organized unions, such as the United Textile Workers of America. In fact, unions contributed to the organized movement of employees for the protection of their rights. As a result, employers were forced to create normal or, at least, better conditions of work, compared to those in which employees of New Jersey worked during the Great Depression.

As a result, due to the implementation of the New Deal and other policies of Roosevelt Administration, New Jersey managed to overcome economic crisis through minimization of unemployment and development of local infrastructure and business activities.



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