Despite much of the belief that the US has no ability to become a dictatorship, or that such a system would ot be welcome I point to my recent research into the subject. Turns out everyone from Hearst, to Will Rogers, to F. Scott Fitzgerald at one time or another from 1929-1933 spoke in favor of someone controling the US during its troublesome times.
This was the era when the term dictator was not an evil in and of itself. In a few years it would be connected with evil, yet concentration camps were sopmetimes the name given to the conservation corps, and stormtrooper was the name given to members of the early new deal. Communism was coveted by the intellectuals, as well as more rank and file workers. Sure the US wanted to pick the parts that worked, and they recognized the issues with the systems but given the fear of waht the great depression would force upon America next I got the impression that people were willing to accept drastic changes.
During FDR's speech after being sworn in he got the most applause after saying he "would ask congress to be granted the power to deal with the emergency, as great a power as if we were being invaded by a foriegn foe." Armed guards were about the white house and Washington DC that day for fear of radical moves. The New York Herald The New York Daily News, to Walter Lickmen. Alfred E. Smith said, "Woodrow Wilson wrapped the constitution in paper and set it on the shelf." and believed the depression was worse then any war.
The vague idea was not a police state, but a leader free to move without the restraints of Democracy. Hearst made a film called "Gabriel over the White House," in which a president takes over America for the better. FDR saw the film, and offered ideas for script writers which Hearst included in the film.
WI FDR decided to ask for the authority to do what he needed to fix the economy? A American dictator to combat the great depression.
This was the era when the term dictator was not an evil in and of itself. In a few years it would be connected with evil, yet concentration camps were sopmetimes the name given to the conservation corps, and stormtrooper was the name given to members of the early new deal. Communism was coveted by the intellectuals, as well as more rank and file workers. Sure the US wanted to pick the parts that worked, and they recognized the issues with the systems but given the fear of waht the great depression would force upon America next I got the impression that people were willing to accept drastic changes.
During FDR's speech after being sworn in he got the most applause after saying he "would ask congress to be granted the power to deal with the emergency, as great a power as if we were being invaded by a foriegn foe." Armed guards were about the white house and Washington DC that day for fear of radical moves. The New York Herald The New York Daily News, to Walter Lickmen. Alfred E. Smith said, "Woodrow Wilson wrapped the constitution in paper and set it on the shelf." and believed the depression was worse then any war.
The vague idea was not a police state, but a leader free to move without the restraints of Democracy. Hearst made a film called "Gabriel over the White House," in which a president takes over America for the better. FDR saw the film, and offered ideas for script writers which Hearst included in the film.
WI FDR decided to ask for the authority to do what he needed to fix the economy? A American dictator to combat the great depression.