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Rise of Big Government in America: 1901–1981 Benchmarks

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Abstract

This paper examines major benchmarks in the growth of the United States federal government between 1901 and 1981. Beginning with early uniformity legislation in the Progressive Era, the paper traces the establishment of the Federal Reserve System in 1913, the 1938 Supreme Court overturning of common law, and President Roosevelt's Federal Register Act of 1935. The author argues that these developments collectively shifted power away from constitutionally established frameworks and toward a larger, more centralized government apparatus. The paper draws on constitutional analysis and secondary sources to suggest that the cumulative effect of these changes rendered the original Constitution largely unrecognizable by the late twentieth century.

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What makes this paper effective

The paper organizes a broad historical sweep (1901–1981) into discrete, clearly labeled benchmarks, making the argument easy to follow chronologically.
It uses direct quotation from a secondary source (Hardison, 1999) to ground its constitutional critique in specific legal and procedural language.
The conclusion ties individual benchmarks together into a cohesive thesis about cumulative constitutional erosion, giving the essay a sense of closure and argumentative unity.

Key academic technique demonstrated

This paper demonstrates the use of historical benchmarking as an organizational strategy. Rather than narrating events chronologically in prose, the author identifies discrete legislative or institutional turning points and treats each as evidence supporting a central thesis. This technique is useful in history and political science papers where the argument depends on demonstrating a pattern across time.

Structure breakdown

The paper opens with a thesis statement followed by an introductory paragraph situating the argument. Four body sections each address a distinct benchmark: the Uniform Acts era, the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, the 1938 common law ruling, and the Federal Register Act of 1935. A brief conclusion synthesizes the benchmarks and gestures toward a broader political implication. The structure is straightforward and appropriate for a survey-style historical argument.

Introduction

Since the original conception of democratic government in the United States and the founding documents of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, there have been many changes, modifications, and about-face turns in American governance. During the years spanning 1901 to 1981, legislation was enacted that gave the government more power than was originally conceived. The government steadily grew larger, casting its shadow across the entire spectrum of American life. It grew into a large mechanism that slowly but surely sidelined the framework of the Constitution while enacting increasingly restrictive and invasive laws into the mainstream of government.

Overview of Uniformity in Government

The years from 1901 through 1908 were characterized by the United States government, in conjunction with individual states, seeking to enforce some type of uniformity in the law — a uniformity meant to apply equally whether in Maine or Mississippi. The first of these Uniform Acts was the Uniform Warehouse Receipts Act, followed by the Uniform Desertion Act, the Non-Support Act, and a uniform marriage act. An act regulating marriage annulment and divorce was also adopted, and work began on the Uniform Corporation Act.

By the year 1910, twenty uniform acts had been approved, including the Uniform Partnership Act. Following these came the Uniform Marriage and Marriage License Act and the Uniform Child Labor Act. By 1915, the Constitution and by-laws of the Uniform Law Commission underwent a complete revision. These early legislative efforts set the stage for a federal government increasingly involved in standardizing and regulating aspects of American civic and commercial life that had previously been left to the states.

The Federal Reserve System

The Federal Reserve Act — also known as the Currency Bill or Owen-Glass Act — established a framework for a system of eight to twelve regional reserve banks that would be the property of commercial banks and operate under the supervision of a governing committee. It was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on December 23, 1913, creating the Federal Reserve System. This legislation represented a major expansion of centralized financial authority. There have been vital changes to the system's founding documents since then — first during the Great Depression and again during the economic difficulties of the 1970s.

2 Locked Sections · 240 words remaining

Common Law Overturned in 1938 · 110 words

"Supreme Court eliminates 150 years of common law"

The Federal Register Act and Executive Power · 130 words

"Roosevelt grants presidency unconstitutional lawmaking authority"

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Conclusion

Since 1938, the Uniform Laws — now called the Uniform Commercial Laws — as well as the creation of the Federal Reserve System, have altered what the U.S. Constitution established to a degree that the original Constitution would be unrecognizable today. Just prior to his assassination, President John F. Kennedy made it known that he intended to address problems existing within the Federal Reserve and the Internal Revenue system of "big government." Sadly, he did not live long enough to accomplish that.

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Key Concepts in This Paper

Big Government Federal Reserve Common Law Uniform Acts Executive Power Constitutional Erosion Federal Register Taxation New Deal Progressive Era