LBJ And American Liberalism

9 Pages 2266 Words

hat a big government will help protect the freedom that people enjoy.
(3) FDR’s “Four Freedoms” solidified the link between liberalism and active government. The “Four Freedoms” were freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. The New Deal also gave “direct aid the American people”; instead of just being a police officer, the government offered a helping hand. Secondly, it “acknowledged and empowered social and economic groups,” like labor unions; and made business to recognize and negotiate with them. Third, it “expanded and reorganized” the executive office and made it the head and uncontested leader of the government. Finally, the New Deal “transformed the American party system.” It brought in a new attitude into the government and ended three quarters of a century of republican dominance.
(4) American liberalism changed in three ways after FDR’s death. First, it had a new attitude toward the economy and business. The war showed that cooperation between government and business could enrich the people and all aspects of economy. Second, it developed a new “vision of democracy,” during this time it developed pluralist politics. A view that encouraged bargaining and debating among different groups, and to get the common person involved in major decisions. Third, it vowed to “defend the free world” from the advances of communism. The United States vowed to support any peoples anywhere if they were fighting communism, this was established in the Truman Doctrine.
(5) Keynesian economics proclaimed that growth can be engineered and a stagnant economy can be heated up to prevent future depressions. It also said that the government could use “fiscal policy, it power of taxing and spending, to stimulate the economy”(Schulman 36).
(6) American Keynesians wanted the economy to keep growing bigger and bigger, so that there will be enough for everybody; some believed...