Maggie's Farm

A great leader is immune to passing ideological fads regardless of how intrenched they've become into the spirit of the times. The Great Engineer believed his skills were transferable to politics and social organization and why would'nt he? (that's what he was told, over and over) FDR simply removed whatever pretense of fiscal responsibility and common sense remained in Hoover's program and there wasn't much. Progressivism is all about social engineering, planning and top down direction of the economy. The newly created federal Reserve Bank, the income tax and the bureaucratic/administrative state were looked at as tools to be used to cure 'problems' of human nature. A fools errand we're still on and paying for; every year regardless of who holds the power. FDR really was Hoover on steroids.

Not really true. Hoover attempted to jawbone and coerce employers to maintain inappropriate wage levels in a deflationary environment. His interference in the labor market at that level led to unemployment by hindering the ability of markets to clear at the proper price. Maintaing artificial prices through state coercion is a transfer of wealth however under the radar in might be.