Quote by Russell Baker

Roosevelt's declaration that Americans had 'nothing to fear but fear itself' was a glorious piece of inspirational rhetoric and just as gloriously wrong.

Roosevelt's declaration that Americans had 'nothing to fear

Summary

This quote refers to President Roosevelt's famous statement during his inaugural address in 1933. Roosevelt aimed to inspire confidence and courage among the American people amidst the Great Depression, emphasizing that their main obstacle was fear causing inaction and despair. While Roosevelt's rhetoric was powerful and well-intentioned, it is argued here that this assertion was fundamentally flawed. The quote suggests that there were indeed daunting challenges and genuine threats to be feared during that time, and simply pushing aside these fears without addressing the underlying problems would not lead to true progress.

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By Russell Baker

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