Question

What did Herbert Hoover initially believe about the federal government's role in the Great Depression?

Answer 1

He believed in Non-interventionism but promoted protectionism

Explanation:

Herbert Hoover is remembered for his rejection of government interference in the economy. He supported the Smoot-Hawley which nevertheless introduced a tremendous increase of tariffs. Itproved uneffective. Democrats nicknamed "do nothing" for his supposedly noninterventionism.

Libertarians and the Old Right(those opposing the New Deal in the thirties) firmly rejected the idea that Hoover was a noninterventionist and that Roosevelt had revived the economy with the New Deal. Murray Rothbard for instance argued that Roosevelt followed Hoover's path and their policies proved disatrous for the economy.