The Democrat and The Dictator
HIST410N Contemporary History

Introduction
Both Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) and Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933. This was the height of the Great Depression and the situation was desperate. Germany was in a political and economic crisis. Our country as well, as a whole was desperate and FDR seemed the man to repair it. Many people were in need of strong leaders to fix many issues and to give them hope for a better future. There are many similarities, of both leaders, and they are depicted through FDR inaugural address and Hitler's first address.
Cause of the Problems Each Country Faced
In comparing what these two leaders thought was the cause of the problems their countries faced; FDR seems to blame the cause of the problems on money, or lack thereof. He states, “Values have shrunken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen…the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone” (Roosevelt, 1933). Adolf Hitler clearly thinks the root of all Germans problems lies with unkempt promises from foes. We see this when he states in his opening sentence of his address, “MORE than fourteen years have passed since the unhappy day when the German people, blinded by promises from foes at home and abroad, lost touch with honor and freedom, thereby losing all” (Hitler, 1933). In these statements, each leader was playing on the peoples vulnerabilities to earn their trust in their own way.
Dealing with Unemployment, Banking, Agriculture, and Foreign Policy FDR and Hitler each had their ideas about unemployment. FDR emphasizes the need to put the people back to work, and says, “It can be accomplished in part by direct recruiting by the Government itself, treating the task as we would treat the emergency of a war, but at the same time, through this employment, accomplishing greatly needed projects to stimulate and reorganize the use of our natural resources (Roosevelt, 1933). Hitler on the other hand contends, “The National Government will couple with this tremendous task of reorganizing business life a reorganization of the administrative and fiscal systems of the Reich, of the Federal States, and the Communes” (Hitler, 1933). FDR speaks about banking, finance, and the economy when he says, “there must be a strict supervision of all banking and credits and investments; there must be an end to speculation with other people's money, and there must be provision for an adequate but sound currency” (Roosevelt, 1933). He goes on to speak about agriculture when he said, “The task can be helped by definite efforts to raise the values of agricultural products and with this the power to purchase the output of our cities. It can be helped by preventing realistically the tragedy of the growing loss through foreclosure of our small homes and our farms. Whereas, in regards to economy, finance,economy, and agriculture, Hitler states, “In economical administration, the promotion of employment, the preservation of the farmer, as well as in the exploitation of individual initiative, the Government sees the best guarantee for the avoidance of any experiments which would endanger the currency… one decisive step is absolutely necessary first: the overcoming of the destroying menace of communism in Germany” (Hitler, 1933). FDR had a very positive outlook on world and foreign policy and this comes across when he states, “n the field of world policy I would dedicate this Nation to the policy of the good neighbor—the neighbor who resolutely respects himself and, because he does so, respects the rights of others—the neighbor who respects his obligations and respects the sanctity of his agreements in and with a world of neighbors” (Roosevelt, 1933). On the other hand, Hitler told his people that it was the most important mission to restore the freedom of the nation and have equal rights, and stated, “Its determination to bring to an end the chaotic state of affairs in Germany will assist in restoring to the community of nations a State of equal value and, above all, a State which must have equal rights. It is impressed with the importance of its duty to use this nation of equal rights as an instrument for the securing and maintenance of that peace which the world requires today more than ever before” (Hitler, 1933).
Concluding Statement
In conclusion, FDR and Hitler each demonstrate several results of leadership and charisma that were very similar. For example, FDR uses charisma to blindly lead his followers, yet there is a positive outcome. Hitler's was also very charismatic yet he leads extremely negatively; killing off even his own followers at times (Schivelbusch, 2006). Each leader had similar visions for their people; they each wanted to build their countries back up from the rubble it had become. They each wanted to improve in strength, as well as monetarily, and both leaders had a very clear idea as to how they would accomplish this. FDR and Hitler were both powerful leaders, each in their own right, however, they had very different outcomes that will be forever etched in the history of our great nation.

References
Hitler, A. (1933). BERLIN: PROCLAMATION TO THE GERMAN NATION FEBRUARY 1, 1933.
Roosevelt, F. D. (2008). First Inaugural Address (1933).
Schivelbusch, W. (2006). Three New Deals: Reflections on Roosevelt's America, Mussolini's Italy, and Hitler's Germany, 1933-1939. Macmillan.