Chapter 23 Section 5 Critical thinking #3

3. Some critics have charged that the New Deal was anti-business and anti-free enterprise. Explain why you agree or disagree with this charge.
-the expanded power of the federal government
-the New Deal's effect on the economy
-the New Deal's effect on the American people

I disagree with this. The basic goal of the New Deal was to get the economy back to normal and pull the country out of the depression. If it had been anti-business or anti-free enterprise, it couldn't have achieved this. Although the role of the government in the economy was expanded during this time period, it didn't do anything to hurt businesses or free enterprise. I think it was simply easier and more effective for the government to create a bunch of new jobs rather than helping individual businesses. The New Deal put millions of dollars into the economy, and gave jobs to millions of men and women, which I think would hardly hurt businesses.