Friday, June 15, 2018

What were the failures of the Coolidge presidency?

Calvin Coolidge served as president of the United States from 1923 to 1929, a time period of great economic prosperity for millions of Americans. However, his presidency was plagued with several shortcomings that affected the public's view of his legacy during the Great Depression, which occurred shortly after he left office.
For example, Coolidge failed to work for equal justice for all Americans, especially African Americans and other minority groups. The effects of Jim Crow and racial inequality were still a reality in many parts of the country, even though the slaves were freed and the Civil War had ended in 1865, over fifty years before Coolidge entered office. A good faith attempt to restore equality for all Americans was not made until the courts and Congress issued rulings and legislation decades later.
For another example, Coolidge neglected to take advantage of the country's economic boom to help farmers in the struggling agricultural industry. Coolidge could have easily led an effort to direct subsidies and tax breaks to farmers who were in desperate need of assistance from the government to produce more crops at sustainable prices. Without his help, farmers saw their industry suffer, which affected their income.
Additionally, Coolidge's administration failed to enact regulations that could have prevented the rampant speculation in real estate and the stock market that contributed to causing the crash of 1929 and the Depression that followed. President Coolidge did not urge his departments within his administration to reign in the "Wild West" market forces of the "Roaring Twenties" that would later create underlying issues of instability in the markets.
Overall, today, many people disagree about how to view Coolidge's legacy. Some believe he made the best of a situation that was largely beyond his control, but others believe he did not fulfill his role of president at a time when his country needed his help the most.

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