“The American System”: Herbert Hoover, the Associative State, and Broadcast Commercialism

Abstract

Despite Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover's expressed opposition to broadcast advertising, radio went commercial on Hoover's watch. In our view, Hoover was sincere in his opposition to advertising and did not covertly direct broadcasting toward its adoption. But Hoover's belief in the associative state, in which businesses cooperate with each other and with government through self‐governing organizations to create “desired outcomes for society,” resulted in a passive drift toward acceptance of a commercial system—the “American system”—of broadcasting.

Making America great (the first time): U.S. economic nationalism in historical perspective

“…This process reached new heights during Herbert Hoover's time at the Department of Commerce; Hoover, despite his popular reputation as a champion of laissez faire economics, being a proponent of an associationalist philosophy which involved close collaboration between the government and leading firms to enhance American competitiveness (Barber, 1985; Hawley, 1974). During this period, the American state provided targeted support—for example, through public procurement—to create assured demand to many emerging industries including aviation and radio, justified by a belief that such industries were of critical importance for national power and prestige (Dempsey & Gruver, 2008; Lee, 1984). Such activities expanded even further during the early stages of the New Deal—which was in large part influenced by the same associationalist philosophy (Hawley, 1966).…”

Donation without Domination: Private Charity and Republican Liberty

“…5, 7. As John Dempsey and Eric Gruver put it, the associative state is one “in which businesses cooperate with each other and with government through self‐governing organizations to create ‘desired outcomes for society’”; Dempsey and Gruver , p. 227.…”