Franklin D Roosevelt's Influence On Society

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Franklin D. Roosevelt was influenced by Locke in his Commonwealth Club Address in speaking about the rights, land and the role and the purpose of government to its citizens. Roosevelt begins speaking about land and how Americans who were land owners had a sense of independence from their employer, and the wealthy. He mentions this since, Americans through the ownership of land lived in abundance, even in difficult economic situations. Roosevelt speaks of economic depressions and states that if Americans owned land and harvested it, that starvation and dislocation was practically not possible. Ultimately, he talks of land as a means of economic growth as well as how natural resources helped the nation. Roosevelt remembers a time that land and natural …show more content…

2. What view of human nature do progressives adopt? Illustrate this view of human nature by discussing the role it plays in feminism. The view progressives adopt about human nature is optimistic. For the progressives, the reason why they might get involved in society is to create or enforce social and economic equality and to push for social modernity. For progressives, they view in part the human nature of Locke, Rousseau and Marx. Marx is mentioned, since progressives want a bigger government to enforce social and economic equality for all. For Locke and Rousseau they both have an optimistic view of human nature, Rousseau believes humans can have unlimited improvement and for Locke government can help humans by enforcing laws to protect them and their property. Progressives believe like Locke that the sole purpose of government is to protect the rights of its citizens. They also are hopeful of human nature as Locke and Rousseau are, since they believe individuals are naturally not evil. Regarding the role of government, Franklin D. Roosevelt brings it home for Marx,

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