Order Description
The book “Man of Destiny: FDR and the Making of the American Century” by Alonzo Hamby, goes into great detail about the life of President Franklin Roosevelt. In your paper, analyze the external forces outside of the individual personality that Hamby uses to describe the development and evolution of FDR. What were the most important ones and why?
Please use direct quotes from the book and separate the paragraphs liberally to divide ideas. Avoid passive voice.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
There are three important factors that hugely influenced the development and evolution of FDR. These three factors are wealth, privilege, and ambition. The family of Roosevelt’s and Delano’s aligned themselves into building formidable business combinations. This gave the family its wealth which was exemplified by virtues and responsibility. Franklin Delano Roosevelt lived in a stratum of the “wealthy-patricians and the gentility” (Hamby, 2015, p. 4). This factor defined him as one of the “Best People.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt grew to become well-defined and self-conscious as he surrounded himself with good things the upper class can only achieve, obtain, and enjoy (Hamby, 2015, p. 4). Being well-off never changed the characteristic and attitude of Franklin when it comes to helping others. His commitment towards using their wealth to share assistance or aid to the poor ones became his distinguishing character. He invested his money carefully and used it to support charities, advocacies and other reforms that he believed are important. He knew that money is important in order to secure a good government. He believed that by being frugal –it enables an individual to be honest, efficient and responsible. This attitude and mentality guided Franklin Roosevelt into creating a frugal and efficient government by the time he became the country’s leader.
Wealth comes with privilege. Given the family’s background and connections, having good education is not a problem for young Franklin. He attended various popular schools and met many challenges there. His experience in the outside world molded him to become a person whose life goals focused on becoming better or the best in a good way. He gained different experiences which enabled him to possess the knowledge, capability and initiative to lead others. He graduated with honors—took the most of the awards and certifications that can be given proving how and what kind of person he was. He was effective in everything he got “measured risk carefully and scrupulously limits his liability” (Hamby, 2015, p. 5). This characteristics and attributes enabled him to become a visionary person—one who possesses will and ambition to reach for the greater heights.
Lastly, he was more than willing than anyone else. His ambition and motivation to create an ideal society and government pushed him into running an office. He loved the Central American Nation and this love inspired him to dream big things for himself and for America. Franklin possessed remarkable confidence and self-reliance (Hamby, 2015, p. 5); he knew that as long as he believes, he will be able to achieve his dreams. To sum all of this up, the three factors mentioned earlier are considerably the major external factors aside from his personality that hugely influence his development and evolution to become one of the best presidents of the United States.
Reference
Hamby, A. (2015). Man of Destiny: FDR and the Making of the American Century.
Michigan: Basic Books.