Truman's Domestic Policy

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How many demobilised veterans returned home?
12 million
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Employment Act
Congress would only empower the federal government 'to use all practical means' to foster 'maximum employment' not full employment
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State of manufacturing industries post-war
Boomed as they returned to peace time production and struggled to meet demand for returning servicemen and their families. Consumer enthusiasm created jobs
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GI Bill of Rights (1944)
Gave returning veterans 52 weeks unemployment pay, loans for education, housing, farms or businesses. Distributed $20 billion to 7.8million veterans between 1945-1955
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What did inflation hit in 1945-6
25%
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What caused high infaltion
Budget deficiets, withdrawal of wartime price controls, shortage of consumer goods as factories struggled to readjust
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Office of Price Administration
Controlled prices in the war. Conservative Democrats and Republicans sought the restoration of free markets, weakening it so prices rose. Tensions as employers wanted to keep wages down but higher prices ,unions wanted raises. Truman impatient
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How many workers were unionised in 1945
15million workers-36% of non-agricultural workforce due to Wagner Act (1935)
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How many striked in 1946 when pay rises were rejected
800,000 steelworkers, 400,000 miners
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Railroaders threats to strike
Truman tried to mediate but no one listened. Told to get tough so threatened to conscript railroad workers and have the army run them. Railroaders called off strike, Senate rejected his propsoal as an unconstitutional expansion oh his powers
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1946 United Mine Workers strike
Truman took the union leader to court and won. Rare triumph, which in combination with continuing inflation led many to consider him an unimpressive leader in 1946
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How many strikes and lost working days were there in 1946?
4985 strikes, 4.6million workers, 116 million working days lost(3x the previous record high)
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Taft-Hartley Act (1947)
Set out by a Republican controlled congress to curtail union power: unions liable for breach of contract, couldn't insist joining was a condition of employment, president could order an 80 day cool of before strikes. Labour furious
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How did Truman respond to the Taft-Hartley act?
Vetoed his own bill, but Congress overrode his veto.
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Why did steelworkers threaten to strike in 1952?
Hadn'y had a pay rise since 1950
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Executive Order No. 10340
Steel was vital for the Korean war so Truman seized control of the steelmills after legal advisors and Chief Justice told him he has the requisite power
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Criticism of Truman over steelmills
Called him another Hitler, Washington Post-most high handed acts by any president. Owners appealed and the liberal justices (appointed by Roosevelt and Truman) ruled Truman had exceeded his executive authority. He was humiliated
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Steelmill strike
Strike occurred, lasted several months, military output in 1952 cut by a 1/3. Eventually settled under terms Truman had suggested months ago
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Truman's handling of inflation and unions
Most thought he mishandled it, failed to get Congress to maintain price controls, tried to steer a middle course between employed and union selfishness but pleased no one
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Economy by 1948
Booming, high demand due to GI Bill, soldiers saved up wartime wages and there was the post war baby boom. Manufacturers and consumers had never had it so good so Truman had not damaged the economy
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What did Truman propose to develop the Welfare of Roosevelt's New Deal? (exacerbated political divisions)
Free universal healthcare funded by payroll deductions, federally financed low cost housing, redevelopment of slums,increased social security payments and coverage, wage increase from 40 to 75, public works program, civil rights
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How many bills did Truman veto?
250 (Congress over 12 of these with a 2/3 majority)
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How far was social security extended?
An extra 1 million americans
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Minimum Wage increase
From 40 to 75 cents an hour
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How did he help farmers
Measures for soil conservation, flood control and rural electrification
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What 1949 phrase described Truman's social policies he had urged Congress for since 1945?
Fair Deal
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Why was the post-war housing shortage the worst in history?
Wartime focus on defence material and the 12million returning veterans who were ready to start families
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Housing Act (1949)
810,000 federally subsidised housing units should be built for low-income Americans. Also provided for slum clearance and urban renewal. Construction boom provided employment
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How many units were actually built under the housing act
156,000 units-1952, 356,00-1964, some poorly constructed but better than nothing.
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Proposed National Health Insurance scheme
It was based on a tax of 4% on the first $6300 of a persons income. Congress attacked it as a tax raising measure and not the federal governments job to tell people how to arrange their healthcare
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What did the American Medical Association called the National Health Insurance scheme?
Socialised medicine
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Why was little done in education despite evidence of problems?
Seen as a state not federal issue
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National School Lunch Act(1946)
Enabled poorer schoolchildren to eat a free or low-cost lunch
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Why did the Fair Deal 'fail'?
Truman wasn't tactful with congress and needed their help with Communist subversion and the Korean war-something had to give but even without them many felt the New Deal had done enough and it was too revolutionary. They didn't want another Roosevelt
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22nd Amendment (1951)
Limit to two terms per president. Ratified by states, demonstrating the widespread concern aroused by Roosevelt's presidency (Truman himself opposed Roosevelt standing for a third term)
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Congress would only empower the federal government 'to use all practical means' to foster 'maximum employment' not full employment

Back

Employment Act

Card 3

Front

Boomed as they returned to peace time production and struggled to meet demand for returning servicemen and their families. Consumer enthusiasm created jobs

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Gave returning veterans 52 weeks unemployment pay, loans for education, housing, farms or businesses. Distributed $20 billion to 7.8million veterans between 1945-1955

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

25%

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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