Franklin D. Roosevelt thought the best way to end the Depression involved

keeping the government out of the economy.

instituting a high corporate tax on businesses.

launching new government programs slowly.

starting new government programs immediately.

Answer: starting new government programs immediately.

Context/detail:

President Roosevelt was following the economic advice of John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946). Keynes proposed that increasing government expenditures and lowering taxes would stimulate demand and pull the economy out of a state of depression. His approach sought to generate demand by having the government intervene to "jump start" economic activity. This differed from all the "belt-tightening" and restrictive approaches that others advocated. President Roosevelt's New Deal programs sought to put Keynesian economic theory into practice. Under the New Deal, many government programs were launched to attack the problems of the Depression.