Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)
The thirty-first President of the United States (1929-1933), Hoover (August 10, 1874 - October 20, 1964) was a mining engineer and humanitarian administrator. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted economic modernization. In the presidential election of 1928 Hoover easily won the Republican nomination. The nation was prosperous and optimistic, leading to a landslide for Hoover over the Democrat Al Smith, a Catholic whose religion was distrusted by many. Hoover deeply believed in the Efficiency Movement (a major component of the Progressive Era), arguing that there were technical solutions to all social and economic problems. That position was challenged by the Great Depression, which began in 1929, the first year of his presidency. He tried to combat the Depression with volunteer efforts and government action, none of which produced economic recovery during his term. The consensus among historians is that Hoover's defeat in the 1932 election was caused primarily by failure to end the downward spiral into deep Depression, compounded by popular opposition to prohibition. Other electoral liabilities were Hoover's lack of charisma in relating to voters, and his poor skills in working with politicians.¹
Quotes
"Blessed are the young for they shall inherit the national debt.""Fishing is much more than fish. It is the great occasion when we may return to the fine simplicity of our forefathers."
"I'm the only person of distinction who has ever had a depression named for him."
"It is just as important that business keep out of government as that government keep out of business."
"Old men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die."
Noteworthy Sites
- ¹ Herbert Hoover - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Books on Herbert Hoover
- Biography of Herbert Hoover
- Essays on Herbert Clark Hoover and His Administration
- The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
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