The Politics of the Welfare State

1. Why is most of the New Deal “the essence of political moderation”? (E.g., laws that support workers, progressive taxation, Social Security, unemployment insurance, farm support programs)
2. In Krugman’s story, the electorate “moved to the left” as the number of disenfranchised voters declined. What happened?
3. Why did the South support the Democrats? (besides the “voting against Lincoln” thing) What were the socio-economic reasons for why Democratic politics were more attractive to Southerners?
4. Explain Tables 2 and 3, in pages 75-6.