The core ideology underpinning the New Deal policies in the 1930s was the need for government intervention in the economy to promote recovery from the Great Depression. Spearheaded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the New Deal aimed to provide relief for the unemployed, spur economic recovery, and reform the financial system to prevent future crises. This approach represented a shift towards a more active government role in addressing economic challenges and protecting social welfare, laying groundwork for future social safety nets.