Reaction #6:

Of FDR's four freedoms, the goal of freedom from want and freedom from fear especially reflect American and European experiences during the 1930s and 1940s. Briefly explain what FDR meant by "freedom from want" and "freedom from fear" and explain how the desire for these freedoms was the result of American and European experiences during the 1930s and 1940s.



In terms of freedom from want, Roosevelt was initially referring to eliminating barriers on international trade. He did not want trade restrictions to further cripple our economy. Roosevelt later expanded this idea to include and appeal to Americans’ personal financial troubles brought on by the Great Depression. He reassured Americans that they would have a freedom from want by “guaranteeing that that the Depression would not resume after the war” (Foner, 751). The depression devastated not only Americans but also left its toll on Europe. Roosevelt wanted to lift up hopes that the American standard of living and way of life would once again be possible. That the war was not a temporary fix, but it was a kick start to pull us out of our economic slump. Freedom from want meant not fearing the loss of your job; the pressure to provide with no means. It meant not living below reasonable conditions and worrying about where the next meal would come from. It meant not only security in jobs and homes but also security in your country. He wanted to redeem Americans’ faith in the nation: that they could once again, and surely would succeed in America.

Freedom from fear during this time most closely related to the war. Americans should feel a great sense of security at home and not be in constant fear of attack, as in the case of Pearl Harbor. Freedom from fear included the means of protection so that we could rapidly and forcefully defend ourselves. It also meant the desire for world peace so that we would not have to take such drastic measures at all. These ideas meant that whether there was a threat or not, Americans could feel safe. I also think that the freedom from fear included the fear of communism spreading throughout the world. With Hitler as dictator in Germany and Mussolini as the father of fascism in Italy, the threat of totalitarianism was ever present. Americans always felt it was their responsibility to enlighten the world and impose their democratic ways onto others. Socialism was never really well received and the Red Scare was hard to extinguish. Freedom of fear meant that we could live freely and peacefully without any threats to our way of life.