LAD #33- FDR's Inaugural Address

Franklin D. Roosevelt
First Inaugural Address
Saturday March 4, 1933
Summary:

Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed the American people clearly and bluntly with nothing but the truth, for there was no reason to shy from it. "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," he said, and every nation faces its own dark hour. With this idea, Roosevelt felt that the country must face these difficulties and revitalize its values. The United States was plagued by a number of issues, including but not limited to unemployment, high taxes, inflation, failing industry, and the farmer population's inability to sell its crops. The economy of the nation had been driven by the wealthier, upper class, but with the decline of these businesses, the country dropped with it. Despite this, Roosevelt claimed that true happiness lie within the achievements of the American people rather than money itself.

Roosevelt felt the nation called for action, establishing the need for the people to find courage within themselves to work. He believed that national recovery ought not be simply a nationalistic movement, and that the economy could be revamped by the inclusion of international relations. His foreign policy could also be seen as a 'Good Neighbor' policy to respect their obligations and its agreements. With the task of 'fixing' his nation, Roosevelt claimed that he was prepared to undertake the constitutional responsibilities that came with it, and use national unity in order to do so. "We do not distrust the future of essential democracy. The people of the United States have not failed."