Non-fiction: Inaugural Address (Second Inauguration)

Context and Occasion
Calvin Coolidge delivered his second inaugural address on March 4, 1925, at the outset of the term to which he had been elected the previous year. The speech came amid the relative prosperity and rapid economic change of the mid-1920s, when industry and finance were expanding and public debate centered on the proper role of government in fostering growth. Coolidge spoke from a Republican perspective that emphasized continuity with the fiscal and political approaches that had shaped his earlier administration.

Central Arguments
The address presents a clear and consistent argument for limited, frugal government as the most reliable foundation for national prosperity. Coolidge asserted that public authority should be exercised sparingly and efficiently, leaving room for private enterprise, individual initiative, and voluntary civic institutions to flourish. He framed government restraint not as indifference but as a disciplined stewardship that respects constitutional boundaries and protects the conditions for private industry and personal responsibility.

Fiscal and Economic Policy
A major focus of the speech is fiscal policy: balanced budgets, reduced public debt, and careful control of expenditures. Coolidge advocated for taxation and spending practices that would not crowd out private investment or burden future generations. He endorsed tax reductions where prudent, argued for vigilant thrift in public accounts, and promoted policies that would sustain business confidence and long-term economic growth. The address casts fiscal restraint as both an economic necessity and a moral duty.

Limited Government and Individualism
Coolidge linked limited government to broader civic and moral principles, stressing the value of self-reliance, local responsibility, and decentralized authority. He argued that excessive centralization and overreliance on federal intervention weakened the habits and institutions that underpin a free society. The speech celebrated the capacities of citizens, communities, and voluntary associations to solve social problems, with the national government serving primarily to secure rights, preserve order, and create a stable environment for enterprise.

Rhetoric and Tone
The address is notable for its spare, restrained style, projecting calm confidence rather than rhetorical flourish. Coolidge employed constitutional language, appeals to prudence, and frequently invoked the duty of public servants to exercise power moderately. Moral appeals to character, thrift, and reverence for institutions recur alongside practical arguments about budgets and trade. The tone reinforces the policy content: government as a limited, steadying force rather than an engine of transformation.

Legacy and Historical Significance
The second inaugural address helped crystallize the 1920s Republican consensus around fiscal conservatism and pro-business governance, reinforcing policies that prioritized stability and minimal regulatory intrusion. Supporters saw the approach as responsible stewardship that contributed to prosperity; critics later argued that the administration's emphasis on restraint and nonintervention overlooked financial excesses and structural vulnerabilities. In retrospect the address stands as a clear statement of Coolidge's political philosophy and a succinct expression of the era's faith in private initiative and limited government.