New Deal Cultural Aid Benefited the Public, Not Just Artists
In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, the primary beneficiaries of New Deal cultural aid programs were not the artists who escaped poverty, but the general population, as Nicholas Ray well knew. Herbert Hoover, U.S. President from 1929 to 1933, had euphemistically called the economic crisis a 'great depression' to avoid terms like 'great crisis' that were not suitable for silver cutlery. Franklin D. Roosevelt succeeded Hoover, abandoned such linguistic pretenses, and tackled the problem with a massive plan of public investments, social reforms, and real market controls, demonstrating that indeed those were different times.
Key facts
- The New Deal cultural aid programs primarily benefited the general public, not just artists.
- Nicholas Ray was aware of the public benefit of these programs.
- The context was the 1930s Great Depression.
- Herbert Hoover was U.S. President from 1929 to 1933.
- Hoover used the euphemism 'great depression' to avoid terms like 'great crisis'.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt succeeded Hoover and implemented a large plan of public investments, social reforms, and market controls.
- The article is a 'Nota al pie' (footnote) in a series, referencing a previous piece titled 'El primer deber de un artista'.
- The article is published in eldiario.es.
Entities
Artists
- Nicholas Ray
Institutions
- eldiario.es
Locations
- United States