Brought up on Wilsonian democracy and populist ideals, a young Hubert Humphrey witnessed the near-failure of the American political system during the Great Depression and its revival under Franklin D. Roosevelt. In The Political Philosophy of the New Deal, Humphrey responds to the changing political landscape of his early adulthood and offers a wide-ranging analysis of the New Deal and its place in the American traditions of individualism and social responsibility. First published in 1970, Humphrey’s book makes the case that the New Deal, by emphasizing stability for all citizens, situated itself firmly within the traditions of American democracy. His cogent assessment of Roosevelt’s policies offers insights still applicable in current-day discourse about the financial and social sectors within the United States.
This edition of Humphrey's classic work includes a new foreword by Robert Mann, who explains the enduring importance of the book and makes a strong case for the relevance of Humphrey’s ideas in today’s political climate.
HUBERT H. HUMPHREY (1911–78) was a Democratic senator and served as vice president under President Lyndon B. Johnson. He received his master’s degree in political science from Louisiana State University.
Robert Mann is the author of numerous books, most recently Becoming Ronald Reagan: The Rise of a Conservative Icon and Backrooms and Bayous: My Life in Louisiana Politics. He holds the Manship Chair in Journalism at the Manship School of Mass Communication, Louisiana State University.
