Message

By: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Date: January 17, 1935

Source: Roosevelt, Franklin D. "On Social Security." Message to Congress, January 17, 1935. Printed in Vital Speeches of the Day 1, no. 9, January 28, 1935, 258–259.

About the Author: Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) was elected president in 1932, the worst year of the Great Depression. While Roosevelt did not have a consistent strategy for dealing with the Depression, he was willing to experiment with various programs. This willingness to "try something" combined with his infectious enthusiasm and optimism, performed wonders in restoring the faith of the American people in themselves and their government. Roosevelt died while still in office.

Introduction

The first modern social security legislation was passed in Germany in 1883. Over the next several years the German government created a...