Four Free Translations of Roosevelt's New Deal

According to many historians and political scientists, the "four freedoms" advocated by franklin roosevelt during World War II, namely, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religious belief, freedom from want and freedom from fear, are the foundation of a civilized society.

Seventy-five years ago, on July 4th, the then US President Roosevelt first described the embryonic form of the "Four Freedoms" at a private press conference. The following year, 654381October 6, he gave an inspiring speech at the Capitol in Washington, making this statement a driving force for the transformation of American foreign policy and drawing a blueprint for the country for the next 3/4 centuries.

When it comes to Roosevelt's historical contribution, many people think that his four freedoms "mark the beginning of a new era"; There are also many people who believe that the real implementation of the "four freedoms" is always a challenge for the United States and the world.

Magical ideas are brewing in the secret room.

From 65438 to 0940, Roosevelt invited dozens of journalists to visit his residence in Hyde Park, new york. At that time, few participants realized the significance of this "impromptu" conference.

This is the eighth year since Roosevelt first came to power. He looks a little tired. After leading the United States through the difficult Great Depression, the 58-year-old Democrat seems determined to leave the presidency.

Roosevelt seems to have lost his spirit since his political opponents attacked him in the mid-term elections two years ago and slowed down the pace of reform. "The president has done his best in domestic affairs." Robert Jackson, then Minister of Justice, recalled in his later years.

According to the American political news website Politics, in private, Roosevelt admitted to his wife Eleanor that he felt "slowed down" and was no longer enthusiastic about some administrative affairs. Francis biddle, the assistant to the President who later served as the Attorney General, also found that the President was "bored, tired and depressed" and was somewhat uninterested in re-participating in the general election.

However, like many observers, Biddle was invited to attend the meeting, only to find that his intuition failed.

Roosevelt sat behind a mahogany desk and talked to Kan Kan. Referring to the worrying situation in Europe, he said to the participants: "First of all, I want to talk about freedom of information, which is very important. Because of the diversity of information, this word is more accurate than freedom of the press. In short, citizens have the right to obtain uncensored information through various channels. " Later, he identified three other freedoms that citizens should generally enjoy: freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom from fear.

"I have an idea about the fifth freedom." Suddenly, Richard harkness, a White House reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, interjected, "Can open and free trade be described as' freedom from want'?"

Roosevelt took the lead in agreeing. To a large extent, "freedom from want" means giving up cultural and trade barriers. "The real question boils down to whether we should continue to pursue these freedoms or give up?" He continued to ask himself and answer himself.

Reporters didn't know that Roosevelt had decided to seek re-election at the Democratic National Convention held at the end of that month. If the "catastrophe" he foresaw comes, the United States should take the initiative to play a leading role. Later, in a letter to a friend, he wrote that his understanding of the world made him not optimistic, regardless of the presidential candidate nominated by the party or the Democratic Party.

Whether carefully planned or not, the brainstorming at this "closed" meeting laid the foundation for Roosevelt's landmark State of the Union address the following year, and finally gave birth to the "Four Freedoms" known to the world.

Counterattack violent conquest with moral order

"As your president, I am here to perform the duties entrusted to me by the Constitution and inform Congress about the situation of the United States of America. This is not very pleasant, but I need to tell you that the future and security of the country and our democratic politics have been irresistibly involved in many events far from our borders. " Six months after the secret meeting, on June 6th, 194 1 65438, Roosevelt, who felt the time was ripe, sent a clear signal to the American public in his State of the Union address.

In his view, this is an "unprecedented" moment: the United States, which has always been "immune" to foreign invasion, urgently needs to refresh itself by comparing external threats that have been serious at any time in the past.

According to the website of "I found it today" in the United States, at that time, the European continent was shivering under the Nazi iron hoof, and Britain, facing Hitler across the sea, was unable to support itself. However, in the United States, which stubbornly adheres to isolationism, many people still think that war is purely a European matter, and the United States on the other side of the Atlantic has no reason to cause trouble to others.

This made Roosevelt feel anxious. He tried to use the harsh reality to mobilize his country to take tougher intervention measures and demanded a large increase in funds as an "arsenal" for those countries that are vital to American interests.

In the worst period of World War II, Hitler announced the establishment of a so-called "new order" in occupied Europe, while Roosevelt tried to respond with a larger concept-moral order. Different from "dictator's tyranny made by bombs", the core of moral order is Roosevelt's "four basic freedoms of human beings" which has been brewing for a long time. As he emphasized in his speech, "man can't fight with weapons just as he can't live with bread."

"The world order we are pursuing is to let free countries co-exist in a friendly and civilized society." In the face of countless puzzled eyes in the parliamentary chamber, he spoke eloquently, "Our foreign policy is based on respecting human rights and the dignity of all countries, and the moral force of justice will surely win the final victory."