American society was effected by the Great Depression socially, economically, and family wise between 1929 and 1932. The depression also allowed the people of the United States to see the true wiliness of Hoover's administration. The depression caused a lot of despair in the U.S and brought many people to their knees financially and physically. Socially it changed people's life styles and disrupted the structure of society. Economically people had nothing, no money, no homes, no jobs, and nothing to look forward to in the future. The depression also ruined families and caused many to separate. In terms of relief to the American people Hoover tried a few things but never maid a real strong push. This rubbed many people the wrong way about him.
The great depression disrupted American families socially and economically. Due to the lack of income many families were starving, homeless, or just struggling. Wages went down and many lost their jobs. Unemployment was up and many banks closed. The closing of banks whipped out many families savings. The small amount of funds each family had but a hold on the buying of consumer goods. The depression caused many families to travel the rails as hobos. Many of these traveling hobos were kids who left their families to lighten the economic burden. To help their families many kids got jobs instead of school. Twenty percent of children were starving and many had disease. Hospitals were over crowded and there was very little assistance. For African Americans there were absolutely no jobs. Unemployment was over fifty percent and the majority lived in poverty. The depression turned the arts of the time into a more realistic dark expression. Novels and photos were the most common expression of the depression. These novels and photographs of the time showed dismal lives and the struggle at home and the struggle to find work by many Americans.
The Hoover administration made some efforts to relive the American people but none of them were strong enough to make a real difference. Hoovers philosophy of rugged individualism came into play through out most of the depression. He felt that too much relief would create an entire class of people who were dependent on the government and not on themselves. He felt this would cripple the future American and prevent the economy from fixing its self. The aid he provided included the emergency committee for employment which was not as successful as it should have been due to under funding. Hoover created the federal farm board to help save farms. He induced the Hawley-Smoot tariff which raised tariffs sixty percent. Hoover passed bills that pumped billions of dollars into to the economy through bug industries and public work programs. All these ideas helped but did not make the dramatic change needed. Hoovers failure to make an impact on the country during its time of need dubbed him delusional and disconnected from the people. He did not really make a push to reach out to the people of the country.
The depression was a hard time for most of working America. Economic problems led to social problems and a debacle of what America was all about. Many blamed themselves, many committed suicide. But they should have known they weren't in it alone and that it couldn't have been all they doing. The high power of government that the people voted for ultimately failed them during these years of the depression
