Brain trust: Difference between revisions
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A '''brain trust''' refers to a group of smart advisers. The term evokes the era of [[trusts]] in the United States, which were institutions that controlled production of certain products (such as oil or steel). A brain trust thus refers to a group of advisers who control the intellectual and creative aspects of an organization. | A '''brain trust''' refers to a group of smart advisers. The term evokes the era of [[trusts]] in the United States, which were institutions that controlled production of certain products (such as oil or steel). A brain trust thus refers to a group of advisers who control the intellectual and creative aspects of an organization. | ||
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[[Samuel Rosenman]] suggested having an academic team to advise Roosevelt in March 1932. This concept was perhaps based on [[The Inquiry]], a group of academic advisors President [[Woodrow Wilson]] formed in 1917 to prepare for the peace negotiations following [[World War I]]. In 1932, [[New York Times]] writer James Kieran first used the term '''Brains Trust''' (shortened to Brain Trust later) when he applied it to the close group of experts that surrounded United States presidential candidate [[Franklin Roosevelt]]. According to Roosevelt Brain Trust member [[Raymond Moley]], Kieran coined the term, however Rosenman contended that Louis Howe, a close advisor to the President, first used the term but used it derisively in a conversation with Roosevelt.<ref name="Safire 2008" /> | [[Samuel Rosenman]] suggested having an academic team to advise Roosevelt in March 1932. This concept was perhaps based on [[The Inquiry]], a group of academic advisors President [[Woodrow Wilson]] formed in 1917 to prepare for the peace negotiations following [[World War I]]. In 1932, [[New York Times]] writer James Kieran first used the term '''Brains Trust''' (shortened to Brain Trust later) when he applied it to the close group of experts that surrounded United States presidential candidate [[Franklin Roosevelt]]. According to Roosevelt Brain Trust member [[Raymond Moley]], Kieran coined the term, however Rosenman contended that Louis Howe, a close advisor to the President, first used the term but used it derisively in a conversation with Roosevelt.<ref name="Safire 2008" /> | ||
The core of the first Roosevelt brain trust consisted of a group of Columbia law professors (Moley, Tugwell, and Berle). These men played a key role in shaping the policies of the First [[New Deal]] (1933). Although they never met together as a group, they each had Roosevelt's ear. Many newspaper editorials and editorial cartoons ridiculed them as impractical idealists. | The core of the first Roosevelt brain trust consisted of a group of Columbia law professors (Moley, Tugwell, and Berle). These men played a key role in shaping the policies of the First [[New Deal]] (1933). Although they never met together as a group, they each had Roosevelt's ear. Many newspaper editorials and editorial cartoons ridiculed them as impractical idealists. | ||
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===Members=== | ===Members=== | ||
- original Brain Trust | |||
*[[Benjamin Victor Cohen|Benjamin V. Cohen]] - 2nd New Deal | *[[Benjamin Victor Cohen|Benjamin V. Cohen]] - 2nd New Deal | ||
*[[Thomas Gardiner Corcoran]] - 2nd New Deal | *[[Thomas Gardiner Corcoran]] - 2nd New Deal | ||
*[[Felix Frankfurter]] - 2nd New Deal | *[[Felix Frankfurter]] - 2nd New Deal | ||
- original Brain Trust (Moley broke with Roosevelt and became a sharp critic of the [[New Deal]] from the right) | |||
*[[Basil O'Connor]] | *[[Basil O'Connor]] | ||
*[[Paul M. O'Leary]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/12/business/paul-o-leary-economist-is-dead-at-96.html?pagewanted=1 |title=Paul O'Leary, Economist, Is Dead at 96 |author=Saul Hansell |date=1998-01-12 |work= |publisher=[[The New York Times]] |accessdate=6 March 2010}}</ref> | *[[Paul M. O'Leary]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/12/business/paul-o-leary-economist-is-dead-at-96.html?pagewanted=1 |title=Paul O'Leary, Economist, Is Dead at 96 |author=Saul Hansell |date=1998-01-12 |work= |publisher=[[The New York Times]] |accessdate=6 March 2010}}</ref> | ||
*[[George Peek]] | *[[George Peek]] | ||
*[[Charles William Taussig]] | *[[Charles William Taussig]] | ||
*[[Napoleon Hill]] | *[[Napoleon Hill]] | ||
*[[F. Palmer Weber]] | *[[F. Palmer Weber]] | ||
Revision as of 22:19, 25 October 2013
A brain trust refers to a group of smart advisers. The term evokes the era of trusts in the United States, which were institutions that controlled production of certain products (such as oil or steel). A brain trust thus refers to a group of advisers who control the intellectual and creative aspects of an organization.
The New Deal Brains Trust
In U.S. history, the term "brains trust" was used to describe the group of advisers that President Franklin D. Roosevelt assembled during the 1932 presidential campaign to help him develop policies and legislation to address the Great Depression. As the term became popularized it was shortened to just "brain trust."
The group included Roosevelt intimates (such as his wife Elanor Roosevelt and law partner D. Basil O'Connor), political associates (such as Democratic National Committee Chairman James A. Farley and Roosevelt's legal counsel Samuel I. Rosenman), a cadre of Columbia University professors (Raymond Moley, Adolf Berle, and Rexford Tugwell), senators, and others.
They were consulted by Roosevelt on a regular basis since May 1932. By the time of Roosevelt's nomination, Moley was the central figure.
Many of these advisers (such as Hugh Johnson and Rexford Tugwell) went on to head important New Deal programs.
For a list, see brain trust/Catalogs