The Square Deal was the domestic program of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, which aimed to protect consumers, control big business, and ensure the rights of workers. It was a major part of Roosevelt's progressive agenda during his time in the White House.
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The Square Deal had three main goals: to protect consumers from big business, to control the power of large corporations, and to ensure the rights of workers.
Roosevelt used trustbusting, or the breaking up of monopolies, as a key tool to achieve the goals of the Square Deal.
Muckraking journalists played a crucial role in exposing corporate abuses and generating public support for the Square Deal reforms.
The Newlands Act gave the federal government the power to intervene in labor disputes, helping to balance the interests of workers and businesses.
The Square Deal reforms laid the groundwork for the more extensive Progressive Era reforms that followed under subsequent administrations.
Review Questions
Describe the three main goals of the Square Deal and explain how Roosevelt used specific policies to achieve them.
The three main goals of the Square Deal were to protect consumers from big business, control the power of large corporations, and ensure the rights of workers. To achieve these goals, Roosevelt employed the strategy of trustbusting, or breaking up monopolies, in order to promote competition and protect consumers. He also supported muckraking journalists who exposed corporate abuses, which generated public support for the Square Deal reforms. Additionally, the Newlands Act gave the federal government the power to intervene in labor disputes, helping to balance the interests of workers and businesses.
Analyze the role of muckraking journalists in the implementation of the Square Deal and assess the impact of their work on public opinion and government policy.
Muckraking journalists played a crucial role in the implementation of the Square Deal by exposing corporate abuses and generating public support for the reforms. Through their investigative reporting, they brought to light the exploitative practices of large corporations, which helped to galvanize public opinion in favor of greater government regulation and oversight. This public pressure, in turn, enabled Roosevelt to push through his Square Deal agenda, including trustbusting efforts and the passage of the Newlands Act. The muckrakers' work was instrumental in shifting the political landscape and paving the way for the more extensive Progressive Era reforms that followed.
Evaluate the long-term impact of the Square Deal on the relationship between the federal government, big business, and organized labor, and assess its significance in the broader context of the Progressive Era.
The Square Deal had a lasting impact on the relationship between the federal government, big business, and organized labor. By empowering the government to intervene in labor disputes and break up monopolies, the Square Deal reforms established a new role for the federal government as a mediator between the competing interests of corporations and workers. This set the stage for the more extensive Progressive Era reforms that followed, which further strengthened the government's regulatory powers and sought to balance the rights and responsibilities of businesses, workers, and consumers. The Square Deal's emphasis on consumer protection, corporate accountability, and workers' rights laid the groundwork for the modern regulatory state and the ongoing debate over the appropriate balance between government, business, and labor. As such, it remains a significant and influential chapter in the history of the Progressive Era and the evolution of American capitalism.
Related terms
Trustbusting: The government's efforts to break up large monopolies and trusts in order to promote competition and protect consumers.
Investigative journalism that exposed corruption and social problems in the early 20th century United States.
Newlands Act: Legislation passed in 1913 that allowed the federal government to intervene in labor disputes and prevent strikes in industries vital to the public interest.