The 1932 Election

• There was the beginnings of the an American fascist movement called the Silver Shirts, who had a membership of less than 700
• American communists thought the depression would lead to a revolution
• The American communists were a small, disciplined party that took order from Moscow
• Communists set up unemployment councils and organised marches against unemployment
• Communists didn't understand how to grow in the US and spent much of their campaign attacking socialists, ensuring poor votership
• Socialists had split from the communists in 1919
• The split from communists lost socialists the support of many intellectuals
• Socialists worked closely with the American Federal of Labour (AFL)
• Norman Thomas, the socialist candidate, got less than 1 million votes
• Hoover was too busy with the depression to campaign effectively
• Roosevelt was the strongest Democrat nominee. He was charismatic and courted the press with ease
• Many of Roosevelt's promises were vague and contradictory
• At Oglethorpe University, Roosevelt spoke of 'bold experimentation' to beat the depression
• Roosevelt didn't promise direct government intervention
• Roosevelt criticised Hoover on 19th October for 'extravagant government spending' and pledged to cut the federal budget by 25%
• Roosevelt repeated the idea of helping 'the forgotten man', which resonated with Americans
• Although Roosevelt didn't have concrete plans, he did have a name for them: The New Deal
• The victorious Roosevelt flew to Chicago to accept his presidency