The 1920 General Election

Question 1

Harding’s Platform (Republican)

Answer 1

• Criticised Wilson’s unpreparedness for WW1
• Didn’t support LoN
• Held Wilson responsible for the inefficiency in passing legislation
• Less help for farmers
• Wanted to form a committee to deal with Labour issues
• Wanted little restrictions on businesses
• Blamed high taxes and cost of living on a weakened dollar
• Supported developments for business purposes

Question 2

Cox’s Platform (Democrat)

Answer 2

• Supported Wilson’s conduct during WW1
• Favoured LoN
• Wanted to alter Senate rule of procedure
• Blamed Republican for high taxes and cost of living
• Supported women’s right to vote, women working and welfare for women and children’s education (Progressive)
• Help for disabled soldiers

Question 3

Reasons for Republican Success

Answer 3

• Harding presented an image of calm reasonableness
• Running mate, Coolidge, gained popularity for breaking up the Boston Police Strike in 1919
• Coolidge was known to be a friend of ‘Big Business’
• Anti-immigrant feeling caused by WW1
• Red Scare fears
• Public no longer wanted to be involved in ‘foreign entanglements’

Question 4

Reasons for Democrat Defeat

Answer 4

• Change in national mood
• War weariness, long months of diplomatic wrangling in Paris
• Domestic political concerns
• Some opposition came from committed isolationists, key group, ‘Irreconcilables’
• Key personalities, e.g. Senator Lodge (Massachusetts), most prominent member of ‘Irreconcilables’
• Lodge wasn’t an isolationist but wasn’t willing to see American power merged into an international org (LoN)
  -Lodge was also Republican, clash of wills with Wilson (Democrat)
• Wilson’s illness due to stress/paranoia, couldn’t run for a third term

Question 5

End of Progressivism

Answer 5

• Harding’s victory remains the largest popular vote percentage margin after 1820
• Harding won 37 states and 60.4% of the popular vote
• Harding attacked Wilson instead of his actual opponent, Cox
• Republican victory resulted in a return to isolationism and laissez-faire policies
• Big Businesses also made a return