Primary Source Reading Assignment:
1)Explain what Thomas’s background is?
Norman Thomas was born in 1884 and died in 1968. He started off as a Presbyterian pastor and
later joining the Socialist Party in 1918. Then in 1926 he became the leader of this party. He
received nomination for the presidency 6 times from his party, but he ended up losing. That
never stopped him from using his voice because he was so involved, he later found the
American Civil Liberties Union.
2.) According to Thomas, the New Deal was neither socialism or fascism. Explain what he
meant?
According to Thomas the New Deal was neither socialism or fascism because Roosevelt did not
give us social and fascism by giving us the New Deal. Thomas thought the New Deal had a
definite outline and structure. There was a lot of criticism on The New Deal because people
were going back and forth that it was socialism or fascism. But he argued that the economics
were involved more fascism than socialism. Therefore, if the president was going to take action
in the economics it would have been more fascist. Thomas wants this to action, he agrees its
not deal but nor it is alive. It has not solved any problems that the public has been facing. He
believes that Roosevelt did more capitalism “recovery” than reform which was what the public
needed. He explains that this Deal or any other deals like this will not bring them peace or
freedom.
3.) Explain what Thomas meant by comparing the New Deal with Teddy Roosevelt’s Square Deal
and Woodrow Wilson’s New Democracy or New Freedom?
He compared the New Deal with Teddy Roosevelt’s Square Deal and Woodrow Wilson’s New
Democracy or New Freedom because they were both programs of reform. Although Roosevelt’s
program was more about reform and progressiveness than Woodrow Wilson did. Roosevelt