Herbert Hoover was elected president in 1928, promising to improve conditions for farmers and maintain American isolationism. However, when the Great Depression began in 1929, Hoover was unable to stop the economic collapse. He encouraged patience but his policies, like the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, did little to alleviate widespread unemployment and suffering. Franklin Roosevelt defeated Hoover in 1932, promising a New Deal that would provide relief, reform, and recovery through massive government programs like the CCC, WPA, AAA, and Social Security. However, some critics said the New Deal went too far or did not do enough.