Calvin Coolidge and Business Coolidge was a president who very well demonstrated the enthusiastic economy of the 1920s. He was a strong believer that "the chief business of America is business", and throughout his time in office he was a big supporter of policies that kept taxes down and business profits up. He tried to keep government involvement in business to a minimum and tariffs on foreign imports high, both practices that served the American businessman well, but not necessarily the common man.
Like Harding, many of Coolidge's policies resulted in a widening gap between the nation's wealthy and poor, though Coolidge was widely considered to be a much more successful president than his forerunner. His governing made the overall American economy strong; during this time, America owned around 40% of the world's wealth. |
Calvin Coolidge's Presidency Calvin Coolidge was the 30th president of the United States, in office from 1923 to 1929. His predecessor, Warren G. Harding, died of a heart attack or stroke before his term was officially over, and Coolidge, vice president at that time, assumed the office of president. The Republican Party ran him for president in 1924, and Coolidge won over 54% of the popular vote, which won him the election.
Calvin Coolidge was jokingly nicknamed "Silent Cal" in Washington for his very quiet demeanor, but he defended himself by saying, "The words of a president have an enormous weight, and ought not to be used indiscriminately." He wanted to make sure he didn't say anything he didn't truly mean, and when he did say something, people listened. |