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Library of Congress photo
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Huey Long was Governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932
and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1930. A nominal Democrat,
Huey Long was a radical populist. He wanted the government
to confiscate the wealth of the nation's rich and privileged.
He called his program Share Our Wealth. It called upon the
federal government to guarantee every family in the nation
an annual income of $5,000, so they could have the necessities
of life, including a home, a job, a radio and an automobile.
He also proposed limiting private fortunes to $50 million,
legacies to $5 million, and annual incomes to $1 million.
Everyone over age 60 would receive an old-age pension. His
slogan was "Every Man A King."
The Share Our Wealth program immediately became a movement.
Clubs were formed in every state in the nation. By 1935
the movement claimed 27,000 local clubs with 7.7 million
members. |
