RE: Who's Your Favorite Historical Figure?
October 12, 2016 at 8:24 pm
(This post was last modified: October 12, 2016 at 8:25 pm by Thumpalumpacus.)
(October 11, 2016 at 7:02 pm)abaris Wrote:(October 11, 2016 at 6:53 pm)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: I once wrote a paper comparing/contrasting FDR's management style with Hitler's. It ... disturbed ... my prof.
The major difference being that FDR didn't gear the whole economy towards a future war effort.
He certainly did as much as he could in 1940, starting with giving US Army and Navy stocks to the UK (necessitating replenishment), signing off on the Two-Ocean Navy bill that was for the time astounding, and a bill calling for 100,000 planes a year to be built by 1945. Also, the draft.
It's true he didn't nationalize oil, or regiment vacations, and it's true that he's no Htlerian fascist. FDR didn't have the same intentions as Hitler, obviously. But, as any wise leader did in the age of total war, he and his delegates certainly managed the economy for a future war effort. The "whole" economy? You're right, no, he didn't. But as much as he could, and once war actually broke out, indeed, managed everything down to recycling tires.
FDR certainly did modify the economy, using an executive team to issue fiat orders, install price controls, and install wage controls. And it's true that such were installed in preparation for, or response to, war.
