This volume investigates the extent to which New Deal policies represented genuine radical reform versus pragmatic political compromise within the American economic system. Richard Polenberg, a noted historian of the mid-twentieth century, compiles a selection of primary and secondary source materials to examine the ideological tensions that defined the Roosevelt era. The text provides a framework for understanding how disparate political factions—from labor activists to conservative legislators—shaped the legislative outcomes of the 1930s.

Historians frequently cite this collection as a useful pedagogical tool for understanding the complexities of New Deal politics. The text is recognized for its balanced presentation of conflicting viewpoints, making it a standard reference for students of American political history.