This introduction covers The Man Who Almost Beat Roosevelt within Opposition to the New Deal for GCSE History. Revise Opposition to the New Deal in America 1920-1973 for GCSE History with 12 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 1 of 12 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📖 The Man Who Almost Beat Roosevelt
By 1935, Huey Long — the Governor and then Senator of Louisiana — commanded an organisation of 7.5 million members, more than the Communist Party had ever dreamed of. His message was simple and electrifying: tax every millionaire down to their last million, and give every American family a guaranteed $5,000 home and $2,500 per year income. "Every Man a King" was his slogan. He had the charisma of a showman and the ruthlessness of a political machine boss.
FDR privately called Long one of the two most dangerous men in America — the other was General Douglas MacArthur. Long planned to run for president in 1936 on a platform to the left of Roosevelt. He was assassinated in September 1935, aged 42, by the son-in-law of a political enemy. Political historians have debated ever since: if Long had lived, could he have split the Democratic vote and given the presidency to a Republican? Would the New Deal have survived?
Long was just one of the obstacles FDR faced. From the right, the Supreme Court struck down his most ambitious agencies. From the left, socialists demanded far more. From Congress, former allies turned against him. Understanding this opposition helps explain WHY the New Deal looked the way it did — and why it stopped short of the radical change many Americans wanted.
Practice questions for Opposition to the New Deal
In which year did the Supreme Court declare the NRA (National Recovery Administration) unconstitutional?
What happened to Huey Long in 1935?