Contenu du sommaire : Franklin D. Roosevelt aujourd'hui

The Invention of the Modern Presidency
Contrary to Woodrow Wilson who thought that the United States would become a modern state by adopting the technique of party government specific to a parliamentary regime, Roosevelt invented the modern presidency that gives the President the means to govern without parties and constitutes the keystone of a presidential regime.

The President, Grief and War
Having won the elections four times in a row, Roosevelt ruled the United States over an exceptionally long period of twelve years from 4 March 1933 to 12 April 1945. Thanks to his strong personality and vigorous action, he constituted in himself a unifying factor at a time when Americans experienced two major crises, the Great Depression and the Second World War. The coincidence between the illness of a man deprived of the use of his legs and the hardships faced by his fellow citizens sheds a particular light on his political career.

Roosevelt Responds to the Crisis: Lessons for Economic Policies
At a time when we are witnessing a lasting and disturbing parallel between the 1929 and 2008 crises in Europe, looking back at the economic policy of the man whose reforms revolutionized America and changed the course of history can teach us a wealth of lessons to respond to the current crisis. The generalization, after the war, of the radical measures taken by Roosevelt in the economic domain – separation between commercial banks and investment banks, creation of a welfare state, fiscal reform – ushered in the long post-war period of financial stability and prosperity.

Roosevelt's Politics: Social Rights for a New Era?
The Roosevelt presidency did usher in a new era, but was it really a “social” one? The New Deal aimed primarily at stabilizing the economy; its social legislation was of a more ad hoc character and targeted the most urgent situations that contained the germs of potential conflict. It was the “rhetoric” of the New Deal that conferred its greatest strength to its policy: the climate of confidence it restored, the call for solidarity, patriotism and the faith in the steadfastness of Americans were instrumental for the recovery, albeit imperfect, of the country.

Shaping the “Moral Guardian”The Constitution provides that the Supreme Court Justices be appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate, thereby creating a remarkable institutional interaction between the three branches of power. Political considerations dominate the analysis of the Court in institutional terms, whether this is at the stage of the designation of its members, the performance of their duty or their resignation. The equally political dimension of its functions, noticeable in its constitutional jurisprudence, have raised questions about the necessity to make this institution more representative of the society it governs.

Making the Rich Pay?
The fiscal policy implemented by President Roosevelt between 1932 and 1945 aimed at creating a highly progressive tax system which specifically targeted the highest income brackets. However, the opposition of the business community and the 1937 economic downturn forced the President to abandon it. As a consequence, during the Second World War, the progressivity of the system applied more to the middle classes, even though the tax rates imposed on the richest Americans remained historically very high.

Banking and Financial Regulation in Time of Crisis: Under Roosevelt and Now1929-2009... history seems to be repeating itself with two historical worldwide financial crises. In 1933, in response to the first crisis, Roosevelt invented the very idea of financial regulation. Eighty years later, financial and banking regulations seem to be confronted with the same kind of issues including a similar crisis of cupidity and a similar litany of ingratitude. After less than six years following the emergency rescue of the financial system from the most destructive crisis since 1929, all the forces of the banking and financial planet have ganged up to launch a fierce battle against the regulations introduced on both sides of the Atlantic. Who can live up to Roosevelt's political legacy today?

Crises and Ruptures: Statistical Lessons from the Roosevelt Moment
Using the example of the New Deal and the appearance of random sampling, the article demonstrates that economic crises are not simply periods when statistical series collapse, but periods when the series themselves are radically challenged, when the serious questioning of the way they are constructed and used leads to the development of new methods aiming to grasp emerging phenomena.

From Roosevelt to Obama: Isolationism or Interventionism?
In the debate between isolationists and interventionists, Roosevelt hesitated for a long time before durably rooting American foreign policy in the system of international institutions. His successors, including Barack Obama, have had to contend with the demand for leadership, the emergence of new powers in the world and the changing mood of American public opinion.