Typically when characterizing Calvin Coolidge's time in office, people often regard him as the president that succeeded Harding after his sudden death, and did "nothing." After all, he was dubbed the nickname "Silent Cal" because of his quiet, passive, yet steadfast character while in office. While he is also commonly blamed for the economic problems leading up to the Great Depression, his positive legacy was very subtle, and involved bridging the gap for the United States to enter the modern era.
One of the most significant impacts of his presidency was his influence in economics. Having a background and belief in the Austrian school of economics, he saw the government as a public enemy that destroyed prosperity and initiative in the individuals. While many Americans at the time, and even to this day, believed that government intervention was a positive, his laissez-faire policies, on paper, actually benefited the American economy greatly. He favored less government intervention and spending, and advocated for tax cuts, which reduced American debt by a third, tax rates in half, and destroyed most of unemployment.
On top of his success in his economic policies, he also led America through the era of fast-paced change known as The Roaring Twenties. Women's rights evolved with the flapper and Constitutional rights, and more and more people delved into consumer culture with automobiles and mass produced goods. Coolidge acted as a "father figure" during this time period, and gave the American public a "comforting symbol of old-fashioned responsibility and virtue."
Thus, while being a less popular president, widely regarded as a weaker and less significant president, Coolidge served a unique and necessary purpose in American history. Even though he led the nation passively, he was still the bridge to modern America, and even made significant, positive economic impacts on America. He may have been unsuccessful from a Keynesian perspective, looking towards successful government intervention in economics, but when evaluated on his own beliefs and standards, on the other hand, Coolidge was incredibly successful, and succeeded in withholding government intervention, and reducing the power of government through tax cuts.
Works Cited
https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/calvin-coolidge
https://millercenter.org/president/coolidge/impact-and-legacy
https://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21572176-americas-30th-president-has-been-much-misunderstood-when-less-led-more
Great job on this post! Calvin Coolidge is considered to be one of the "forgotten presidents," along with Millard Fillmore and Chester A. Arthur. Their names aren't often discussed in US history, but these presidents did have an impact on the country. I did some additional research about Coolidge and found that he wasn't completely forgotten. In fact, President Ronald Reagan returned his portrait to the Oval Office. Reagan admired his "hands-off" leadership regarding the economy. However, many scholars are skeptical of Coolidge and the effects of his presidency.
ReplyDeleteSource: https://millercenter.org/president/coolidge/impact-and-legacy
DeleteThank you for this post on President Coolidge, Andrew! I agree that we often overlook his presidency, so I found it interesting to learn about his beliefs in the Austrian school of economics. I thought the contrast of Coolidge's belief in frugality against the roaring 1920s was especially intriguing. According to the White House, Coolidge set about maintaining the status quo and ensuring "a state of contentment". I found an anecdote that I think best shows the character of this reclusive president. At a dinner, the woman next to Coolidge jested that she had made a bet to get at least three words out of Coolidge. In response, Coolidge only said "You lose". I found both this article and your blog post very humanizing about who Coolidge was as a leader and a person.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/calvin-coolidge/