In: Economics
What does Long regard as the fundamental cause of the Depression? In what ways does he think the New Deal has fallen short? What does he propose as a remedy? How does he seek to justify his program?
Huey Long mentioned the growing disparity between the rich and poor as the fundamental cause of depression. Long focused on poverty issues as the root cause for depression. Long mentioned that the richest five percent of the population controlled 85 percent of the nation's wealth. Long stated that the nation was stuck and people had no money to put into the economy. In Long's view, one in every four breadwinners were unemployed and more than a million men were searching for work.
Long stated that the New Deal has fallen short as he thought New Deal was not doing much for the working class. New deal focused more on big businesses and were too friendly with them. New deal believed that the government could not solve the great depression alone. New deal needed business to regulate spendings, investments and lowering prices.
Huey Long proposed 'Share our wealth' program as a remedy. He wanted every community to get together and organize a Share-our-wealth society. Long's motto 'Every man a king' conveys the declaration of Independence and that " All men are equal." Long justifies his program by laying down certain principles and a platform:
1) Long focused to limit the poverty that every deserving family shall share.
2) To limit fortunes as that will allow to share in the profits and wealth of the land.
3) Long revised the old age pension plans, thereby to remove from the field of labour in times of unemployment.
4) To limit the working hours to avoid overproduction.
5) To balance agriculture production.
6) The veterans of the wars are to be taken care of.
7) Taxation to be revised and levied first at the top for the government's support and expenses.
Share-our-wealth society is simply to mean that every citizen gets a right to share in the wealth that is created in the country. They have the right to a living, with some luxuries of this life. They have a right to raise their children in a healthy atmosphere and to educate them.