“The lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber. To dole our relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit. It is inimical to the dictates of a sound policy. It is in violation of the traditions of America. Work must be found for able-bodied but destitute workers.”
FDR, in his State of the Union address, 1935.
FDR was right about that - and it was safer to pay people on make-work projects than have them sit on their arses plotting the overthrow of the system that idled them. On the other hand, FDR couldn’t possibly imagine a scenario where the government workforce itself is as massive and costly as it is today.
FDR at least had the WPA, Works Progress Administration if I remember correctly what my parents told me. People who had no job worked at things like building parks etc. They did not just get money handed to them. We used to hold family reunions at a picnic shelter built by WPA, it was really quite nice.