ABSTRACT
In politics, as with physics, for every action there is a reaction—and the more powerful the action, the more dramatic is the reaction. The era of the Great Depression and World War II altered the relationship of the American people to the federal government. The Republican Party’s inability to defeat Roosevelt led to the formation of a conservative faction determined to undo the New Deal and force their party to become a center of political opposition. Conservatives struggled with Republicans who were prepared to make peace with the New Deal, and tried to persuade voters that the expanding, activist federal government was their enemy. Economic conservatives, especially libertarians, denounce the federal government’s role in promoting labor unions, regulating corporate activities, and raising taxes. Libertarians are often in conflict with social conservatives since they do not believe the federal government should regulate the boardroom or the bedroom.
