>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 11/09/05 9:09 PM >>> But to read the New Deal as purely top down is as just as under-articulated as reading it as purely bottom up. Both large capital and the social movements acted on the contigencies of the historical moment. New Deal policies tried to resurrect the profitable corporation as the engine of the economy in what was really the first truly modern instance of trickle down. At the same time, it is hard to believe that they would have taken these actions--self-protective as they were (Glass-Steagall, the NRA) in the absence of any movements from below. Joel Blau
Michael Hoover wrote: >potential for type of coalition that fdr 'built' no longer exists, and i don't >mean stereotypical history book 'new deal coalition' of workers, blacks, >and poor folk, 'historical bloc' (nod to gramsci here) in 1930s was that of >capital-intensive industries, investment houses, and internationally-oriented >banks... michael hoover <<<<<>>>>> agree re. top-down/bottom-up (quite dialectical), i don't think my comment was reading new deal as 'purely' the former, be that as it may, this is e-discussion list, i was trying to make certain point with brief comment, not offer treatise on the matter... there were at least 2 new deals, initial one - often identified with pace and quantity of policies enacted in the fdr's first '100 days' in office was mostly top-down, while 'emerency relief' was included in 'reform package', most of it had to do with banking, stock exchange... interestingly, national recovery act language about 'employee representation' in cartelized industries fueled wave of strikes when workers realized that corporations planned to create 'company unions' rather than recognize/bargain with independent unions, contrary to roosevelt 'brain trust' intentions, 'first new deal' intensified working class action, result was 'second new deal' social/labor legislation... in context of that time period, capitalist vanguard (see above) comprised *historic bloc*, 'new deal coalition' was *electoral bloc*, latter, of course, included unions, as junior partner of sorts in new deal's corporatist-like relations/structure, organized labor's political importance increased even as it radical potential became less dangerous... michael hoover -------------------------------------------------------------- Please Note: Due to Florida's very broad public records law, most written communications to or from College employees regarding College business are public records, available to the public and media upon request. Therefore, this e-mail communication may be subject to public disclosure.
