Monthly Archives: November 2015
How the American Left Conceived Structural Reform During the Great Depression
In his essay “The Past, Present, and Future of the American Left,” author Eli Zaretsky rebuts the claim that America does not need a political left. This claim is based on the idea that America is, by its nature, liberal, … Continue reading
Posted in The Great Depression
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Critiquing the Effectiveness of the New Deal
In his article “New Deal Denialism” Eric Rauchway notes that rightists and leftists harbor conflicting viewpoints on the Great Depression: rightists argue that the New Deal was a jumble of ineffective socialist policies, while leftists retain that the New Deal … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Connections
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Addressing Environmental and Socioeconomic Lenses of the CCC
In his article “‘Work for others but none for us’: the economic and environmental inequalities of New Deal Relief” history professor Neil Maher examines both the social and environmental aspects of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) used during the New … Continue reading
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Brainstorming My Final Presentation
The final part of my independent inquiry involves presenting my thinking and learning to a specific audience who will find my work interesting and worthwhile. Although plans do not need to be finalized as of now, I need to start … Continue reading
Posted in Reflection
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Military Spending and the Modern Military-Industrial Complex
In a previous post, I discussed an historical argument by which the rise of a military-industrial complex, as necessitated by World War II, helped America rise out of the economic woes of the Great Depression. By the war’s end, the … Continue reading
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Relating American Historical Attitudes to the Syrian Refugee Crisis
After terrible and devastating terror attacks struck the world this past week in locations such as Paris, Beirut, and Baghdad, many American political officials have called for stronger regulations against Syrian refugees and immigrants fleeing political instability in their home … Continue reading
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World War II, Depression, and the Military-Industrial Complex
A common argument among historians is that FDR’s New Deal policies did not end the Great Depression; it follows that the immense government spending induced by the outbreak of war would lift America out of an economic downturn and set … Continue reading
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The History Behind Social Security
In a constantly shifting society, how does one ensure socioeconomic stability? Can one ensure this by themselves, or are external forces, such as corporations or governments, necessary for citizens to be economically secure? During the Great Depression, it became evident … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Connections
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Is a Second Gilded Age upon Us?
The Gilded Age was named as such by American author Mark Twain, who saw it as an era of amazing economic growth and prosperity for the nation that covered up all the societal woes emerging, such as income inequality, environmental … Continue reading
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The Plight of American Farmers
Although the Great Depression altered government action in the economy in American history, an interesting caveat appears in the agricultural business, where farmers had experienced tumultuous federal action for several decades prior. Legislation during the Civil War era such as … Continue reading
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An American Inquiry 