Economic Crisis Shifts Opinion on the Presidency of Herbert Hoover
By Ella Tracy.
At the beginning of the economic crisis, in the fall of 1929, Herbert Hoover seemed to be the perfect man for the job. His background in humanitarian leadership during the Great War and his voluntaristic spirit made him the most qualified man to take care of the United States during an economic crisis. Hoover also displayed his skills in leadership: first, as head of the Commission for Belgium Relief, in which he organized American businessmen to ensure the feeding of 9 million people in Europe after WWI; and second, as Secretary of Commerce during the Harding Administration where he took action to cope with the depression of 1922. Although economic prosperity was all America knew during the 1920s, many were confident in the ability of Hoover to stop this economic downturn. The faith in political figures based on their actions of the past, as well as the promises that were made during their election campaigns, remains an American trait through to the twenty-first century.
During the 1920s, the idea of Republican prosperity was strong throughout the United States. The 1928 election of Herbert Hoover, a Republican, reflected the want for more prosperity. The Democratic Party during the election of 1928 had little chance of winning due to a combination of the popularity of Herbert Hoover and the distaste for the Catholic Democratic candidate, Al Smith. This cartoon documents that the fate of the Democratic Party was reversed at the beginning of Hoover’s Administration because instead of prosperity, America experienced an economic crash. Although some stood by the actions of Herbert Hoover in dealing with this economic crisis, a large portion of the country was dubious and reverted to the Democratic Party. The public opinion and criticism of one political party during tough economic times still often results in political power shifting during elections.