The Works Progress Administration During the Great Depression

In 1932, 13 million people in the United States were unemployed (Gusmorino, par. 23). Home foreclosures and bankruptcies were common. A large percentage of the American population was desperate. The worst economic situation they had ever faced, the Great Depression, was caused by a number of factors, many of which were beyond the control of the average man and woman. These factors included inequality in the distribution of wealth, stock market speculation, drought, and a weak international economy (Gusmorino, pars. 1-23). At a time when the American public needed leadership, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) did his best to rise to the challenge. His presidency, lasting from 1933 to 1945, is best known for its unparalleled length and the far-reaching impact of its social programs. In his memorable first inaugural speech, which contains the now-famous quote "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," FDR proposed immediate action with relevant changes (First Inaugural Address (1933) pars. 1-26). The basic tenet of the New Deal relief plan was the creation of state and federal agencies, whose sole purpose was to generate jobs. Many conflicting viewpoints exist among historians. Some praise the innovation of the New Deal agenda, and others condemn it as a source of current social and economic problems. "Work Relief in the Great Depression," an essay by Edward Robb Ellis, examines one of the major organizations of the New Deal program and its dramatic impact not just on the working class, but on America itself.