"Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself": FDR's First Inaugural Address - The Diigo Meta page

• 15 Jan 09
  

  Ari Najarian
  • So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.
  • Primarily this is because the rulers of the exchange of mankind’s goods have failed, through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence, have admitted their failure, and abdicated.
  • 4 more annotations...
  • • True they have tried, but their efforts have been cast in the pattern of an outworn tradition. Faced by failure of credit they have proposed only the lending of more money. Stripped of the lure of profit by which to induce our people to follow their false leadership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for restored confidence.
    • Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. This is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. It can be accomplished in part by direct recruiting by the Government itself, treating the task as we would treat the emergency of a war, but at the same time, through this employment, accomplishing greatly needed projects to stimulate and reorganize the use of our natural resources.
    • Finally, in our progress toward a resumption of work we require two safeguards against a return of the evils of the old order; there must be a strict supervision of all banking and credits and investments; there must be an end to speculation with other people’s money, and there must be provision for an adequate but sound currency.
    • But in the event that the Congress shall fail to take one of these two courses, and in the event that the national emergency is still critical, I shall not evade the clear course of duty that will then confront me. I shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis—broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe.
• 01 Jan 09
  

  Marie Garrido

  socialstudies audio

• 12 Mar 08
  

  avera2000 krasnova
  • that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself
• 22 Jan 08
  

  Richard Smart

  FDRs inaugural speech - the only thing to fear is fear itself...
  
  

  history ushistory audio FDR

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  stnapytrams stnapytrams

  audio fdr history ushistory

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