This book follows the transformation of national policy as the New Deal created jobs, relief programs, Social Security, wage protections, and a new legal framework for organized labor. These programs reflected a basic idea: government has a duty to protect people from economic forces they cannot control alone.
The chapters examine the Civilian Conservation Corps, early relief programs, Social Security, fair labor standards, the Wagner Act, and the rise of industrial unionism. They explain how public programs and worker organization helped rebuild purchasing power and confidence.
The history remains relevant because economic security is never automatic. Strong labor standards, retirement protection, collective bargaining, public employment, and accountable administration remain essential tools for building a society in which work can support a family and old age does not mean poverty.