Eleanor Finch
Franklin D. Roosevelt's view of the constitution was shaped by his belief in constitutional statesmanship, which he used to prepare the US for World War II. Roosevelt's admiration for his cousin, Theodore Roosevelt, also influenced his political career. Theodore Roosevelt's views on the constitution were evident in his 1912 campaign, where he championed the Bull Moose Progressive Party, advocating for the popular recall of judges and their decisions, and criticising the Supreme Court for striking down attempts to regulate businesses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Roosevelt's view of the Constitution | The Constitution is a "vehicle of life" capturing "the spirit of the age" |
| Roosevelt's view of the Supreme Court | Roosevelt criticised the Supreme Court for thwarting "the absolute right of the people to rule themselves" |
| Roosevelt's view of the role of judges | Roosevelt disagreed with the power of judges to interpret the Constitution as they wished, believing that power should lie with the people |
| Roosevelt's view of judicial supremacy | Roosevelt's stance was deemed by some as the highest and wisest kind of conservatism |
| Roosevelt's view of the role of government | Roosevelt believed in a positive view of government, where it assists in the realisation of happiness |
| Roosevelt's view of constitutional statesmanship | Roosevelt's conception of constitutional statesmanship struggled to resolve the tensions between the demands of war and the dictates of constitutionalism |
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What You'll Learn
Roosevelt's view of the Supreme Court
The Roosevelt cousins, Theodore and Franklin, both had notable interactions with the Supreme Court during their presidencies.
Theodore Roosevelt's View of the Supreme Court
Theodore Roosevelt's views on the Supreme Court were informed by his belief that the Constitution was a document of and for the people. Roosevelt initiated his presidential campaign by attacking recent decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court that had struck down popular attempts to regulate businesses. Chief among these cases was Lochner v. New York (1905), which found a law establishing maximum work hours for bakers unconstitutional. Roosevelt viewed the Court's decision as making the "Constitution a means of thwarting instead of securing the absolute right of the people to rule themselves." He criticized the power of the judiciary, specifically the function of declaring whether the people have the right to make laws for themselves, as fundamentally un-American. Roosevelt proposed the popular recall of judges and deemed his stance "the highest and wisest kind of conservatism."
Franklin D. Roosevelt's View of the Supreme Court
Franklin D. Roosevelt had a short-lived but notable clash with the Supreme Court in 1937. Roosevelt had enacted wide-ranging legislation as part of his New Deal program starting in 1933, but by 1937, the makeup of a conservative-leaning Supreme Court had not changed since he took office. There were four Justices with conservative leanings, nicknamed the "Four Horsemen," whose votes against most New Deal plans were expected. A fifth justice with conservative leanings was the Chief Justice, Charles Evans Hughes. On February 5, 1937, Roosevelt shocked America by introducing a plan to expand the Supreme Court to gain favorable votes. He used one of his famous "fireside chats" to make his case to the American people, arguing that his plan was not an attack on the court but rather sought to restore it to its rightful and historic place in constitutional government. However, many Americans viewed the high court as sacrosanct, and opposition to the plan steadily built. By June 1937, the Judiciary Committee had sent a report with a negative recommendation to the full Senate, calling the bill "an invasion of judicial power." Roosevelt outlasted seven of the nine justices who sat on the bench in 1937, and the idea of a court-packing plan did not return during his administration.
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Roosevelt's third term
Franklin D. Roosevelt's run in 1940 for a third consecutive term as president was unprecedented and controversial. Since George Washington declined a third term in 1796, no other president had received support from their party to run for a third term. Roosevelt's New Deal policies, the potential for US intervention in World War II, and the implications of a third term for the nation and the candidate himself caused concern among Republicans. The Republican National Committee laid out five reasons to "Vote Against a Third Term and Dictatorship," arguing that a third term would violate the American tradition of safeguarding against the usurpation of power.
Roosevelt's direct appeals to the public, legislative leadership, and executive reorganization transformed the powers and responsibilities of the president. His New Deal Coalition ushered in the Fifth Party System and redefined liberalism for future generations. Through his actions before and during World War II, Roosevelt established a leadership role for the United States on the global stage.
During Roosevelt's third term, the US coordinated military policy and supply allocation with Britain and other Allied Powers. They also established a centralized command in the Pacific theater called ABDA, representing American, British, Dutch, and Australian forces. On January 1, 1942, the Declaration by United Nations was issued, with each nation pledging to defeat the Axis powers. Roosevelt coined the term "Four Policemen" to refer to the US, UK, Soviet Union, and China as the "Big Four" Allied powers.
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Roosevelt's view of the people's power
In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt began his campaign for a third term in the White House, breaking with the Republican Party and championing the "Bull Moose" Progressive Party. Roosevelt initiated his presidential challenge by attacking recent decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court that had struck down popular attempts to regulate businesses. One such case was Lochner v. New York (1905), which found a law establishing maximum work hours for bakers unconstitutional. Roosevelt believed that the Court had made the "Constitution a means of thwarting instead of securing the absolute right of the people to rule themselves". He criticized the power of the American judge to declare whether or not the people have the right to make laws for themselves, a power understood today as part of judicial review. Roosevelt deemed his stance "the highest and wisest kind of conservatism".
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Theodore's distant cousin, also had a significant impact on the Constitution during his time in office. In 1937, he introduced a plan to expand the Supreme Court to gain favourable votes for his New Deal program, which had been facing conservative opposition. This "court-packing plan" was seen as an attack on the independence of the judiciary and was defeated. However, Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration was successful in three court decisions involving the minimum wage, Social Security, and the National Labor Relations Act.
Franklin D. Roosevelt also broke with the two-term precedent set by George Washington, winning a third term in 1940 and a fourth term in 1944. This unprecedented act led to the ratification of the 22nd amendment in 1951, limiting presidents to two terms. Roosevelt's decision to seek a third term was influenced by the outbreak of World War II in Europe and his desire to keep America out of the war.
Both Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt had a significant impact on the Constitution and the view of the people's power. While their approaches differed, both Roosevelts sought to exert more power over the judiciary and expand the role of the executive branch. Theodore Roosevelt's views on the people's power were more explicit, with his belief in the ultimate sovereignty of the people and his defence of their right to make laws for themselves.
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Roosevelt's view of the role of the president
It is important to distinguish between the views of Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt, two US presidents from different eras with differing views on the role of the president.
Theodore Roosevelt's View of the Role of the President
Theodore Roosevelt's view of the role of the president was informed by his belief in a popular constitution. Roosevelt felt that the power to interpret the Constitution should ultimately lie with the people, rather than with judges. He proposed the popular recall of judges and their decisions, believing that judges could interpret the Constitution to mean whatever they wanted, and that this power was better left with the people. Roosevelt's stance on this issue has been described as "the highest and wisest kind of conservatism".
Roosevelt's 1912 campaign for a third term in the White House was driven by his opposition to recent decisions of the US Supreme Court, which had struck down attempts to regulate businesses. For example, in Lochner v. New York (1905), the Court found a law establishing maximum work hours for bakers to be unconstitutional. In Roosevelt's view, the Court had made the "Constitution a means of thwarting instead of securing the absolute right of the people to rule themselves". He criticised the power of the American judge to declare whether or not the people have the right to make laws for themselves, a power today understood as part of judicial review.
Franklin D. Roosevelt's View of the Role of the President
Franklin D. Roosevelt's view of the role of the president was influenced by his belief in "constitutional statesmanship". Roosevelt's leadership during World War II was informed by his conceptions of the US Constitution and American statesmanship, which developed before the war.
As president, Roosevelt introduced a plan to expand the Supreme Court to gain favourable votes for his New Deal program, which had been opposed by a conservative-leaning Supreme Court. In a "fireside chat" radio address, Roosevelt claimed that his plan was not an attack on the court, but rather sought to "restore the court to its rightful and historic place in our system of constitutional government". He argued that the court could best undo what it had done, and that more justices were needed to handle the Court's caseload. However, Roosevelt's plan was defeated, and it was not well-received by many Americans who believed the high court was sacrosanct.
During World War II, Roosevelt delivered his "Four Freedoms Speech", in which he described his vision for extending American ideals throughout the world. Roosevelt also believed that the purpose of government was to "produce happiness or to assist in its realisation", a view which recalls the teachings of classical political philosophy.
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Roosevelt's view of constitutional statesmanship
Franklin D. Roosevelt's view of constitutional statesmanship was largely shaped by his interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and his understanding of American statesmanship. He believed that the Constitution was a "vehicle of life" that captured "the spirit of the age". This view allowed him to justify the use of extensive presidential power during times of crisis, such as World War II.
Roosevelt's admiration for his cousin, Theodore Roosevelt, also influenced his political career and views on constitutional statesmanship. Theodore Roosevelt's campaign in 1912, where he championed the "Bull Moose" Progressive Party, demonstrated his belief in the power of the people. He disagreed with the concept of judicial supremacy, arguing that judges should be accountable to the people through a popular recall system. This stance was considered unconventional and even criticised as being "un-American".
Franklin Roosevelt's approach to constitutional statesmanship was influenced by his belief that the government's purpose was to promote the happiness and well-being of its citizens. This positive view of government, rooted in classical political philosophy, guided his leadership decisions during World War II. He sought to balance the demands of the war with the principles of constitutionalism, but scholars argue that his brand of statesmanship faced challenges in reconciling these two aspects.
During his presidency, Franklin Roosevelt proposed a plan to expand the Supreme Court to gain favourable votes for his New Deal program. This "court-packing" plan was met with strong opposition and was ultimately defeated. Roosevelt's actions sparked a debate about the role of the judiciary in constitutional democracy and the independence of the judicial branch from the executive and legislative branches.
In conclusion, Roosevelt's view of constitutional statesmanship was shaped by his interpretation of the Constitution, his admiration for Theodore Roosevelt, and his belief in the government's role in promoting happiness. His approach to leadership during World War II exemplified his unique brand of statesmanship, although it faced challenges in balancing the demands of war with constitutional principles. The debate surrounding his attempt to expand the Supreme Court highlighted the ongoing tensions between presidential power and judicial independence.
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Frequently asked questions
Roosevelt viewed the Constitution as a "vehicle of life" capturing "the spirit of the age". He believed that the ultimate power should be left with the people, and proposed the popular recall of judges and their decisions.
In 1937, Roosevelt proposed a plan to expand the Supreme Court to gain favourable votes. He believed that the Court had become a means of thwarting instead of securing the absolute right of the people to rule themselves.
No, Roosevelt's plan was defeated by a crafty Chief Justice and his own party members.
Yes, Roosevelt's beliefs about the role of the people in governing themselves influenced his decision to run for a third term in 1912, and again in 1940. Roosevelt's decision to run for an unprecedented third term was influenced by his belief that he could keep America out of the war in Europe.
