Can the New Deal's Three R's Be Rehabilitated? A Program-by-Program, County-by-County Analysis

60 Pages Posted: 27 Mar 2003 Last revised: 1 May 2022

See all articles by Price V. Fishback

Price V. Fishback

University of Arizona; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Shawn Kantor

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

John Joseph Wallis

University of Maryland - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Date Written: April 2002

Abstract

We examine the importance of Roosevelt's 'relief, recovery, and reform' motives to the distribution of New Deal funds across over 3,000 U.S. counties, program by program. The major relief programs most closely followed Roosevelt's three R's. Other programs were tilted more in favor of areas with higher incomes. For all programs spending for political advantage in upcoming elections was a significant factor. Roosevelt's successful reelections were based on developing specific programs for a broad range of constituents, delivering on his stated goals, but also spending more at the margin for political purposes.

Suggested Citation

Fishback, Price V. and Kantor, Shawn and Wallis, John J., Can the New Deal's Three R's Be Rehabilitated? A Program-by-Program, County-by-County Analysis (April 2002). NBER Working Paper No. w8903, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=307873

Price V. Fishback (Contact Author)

University of Arizona ( email )

Tucson, AZ 85721-0108
United States
520-621-4421 (Phone)
520-621-8450 (Fax)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Shawn Kantor

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

John J. Wallis

University of Maryland - Department of Economics ( email )

College Park, MD 20742
United States
301-405-3552 (Phone)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

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