The so-called second New Deal of 1935 - including the Works Progress Administration, Social Security and the Wagner Act legalizing union labor - represented an effort to meet the rising voices demanding a more aggressive government approach to the collapse of national prosperity.

In this quote, Robert Dallek is discussing the significance of the second New Deal of 1935, which marked a more aggressive response by the government to the economic devastation caused by the Great Depression. The second New Deal included several important initiatives, such as the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Social Security, and the Wagner Act, which aimed to address the growing calls for government intervention to restore national prosperity. Dallek suggests that these policies were a direct response to the rising demand for a more proactive and comprehensive approach to the country's economic challenges.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was one of the most notable programs of the second New Deal, designed to provide employment and public works projects for millions of Americans. The Social Security Act established a system of social insurance, providing financial security for retirees, the disabled, and the unemployed. The Wagner Act, also known as the National Labor Relations Act, legalized union labor and aimed to protect workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively. These initiatives were seen as efforts to provide economic relief and establish a safety net for vulnerable populations.

Dallek emphasizes that these reforms represented a shift in government policy from more limited interventions to a more aggressive stance aimed at tackling the underlying causes of the economic collapse. The second New Deal reflected the growing belief that the federal government should play a central role in ensuring the well-being of citizens and stabilizing the economy. The policies were designed to restore confidence in the nation's economic system and provide direct support to individuals suffering from the effects of the Depression.

Ultimately, Dallek’s quote captures the essence of the second New Deal as a pivotal moment in American history, representing a turning point in the relationship between the government and its citizens. It underscores the efforts to rebuild the nation's prosperity by addressing both the immediate hardships of the Great Depression and the long-term needs of the American people.