Every Man a King Theme of Religion

Blessed are the poor, the Bible says. We're not sure how many starving Louisianans felt blessed in 1934, but the Bible always takes the long view.

Religion was central in the lives of most Americans in the 1930s, and Huey Long took advantage of that. All of his speeches had plenty of Biblical references, and if Long could show that God was all-in with his Share Our Wealth program, he'd have the sympathy of his audience.

The Bible—the books of the prophets in particular—is loaded with warnings about the dangers of amassing wealth at the expense of the poor. Biblical justice is economic justice, and the wealthy are always on the receiving end of divine wrath if they're not sharing it with the poor.

Some guys have sure dodged a bullet.

1. Long addresses the infallibility of the Bible at one point in his speech: do you think this puts him at odds with the modern world? How well might Huey Long have fared in contemporary society and politics?
2. How much of Huey Long's success could be attributed to his religious background and familiarity with the Bible? Could he have accomplished as much without using religious references so frequently?
3. Do you think Huey Long believed the religious rhetoric he was pushing, or do you think it was merely a tool to get popular support?

Huey Long's use of religion in his speeches demonstrates a clear and deep understanding of his constituents.

Long cloaked himself in an air of biblical and religious authority in order to make his political agenda seem impervious to any sort of attack: an attack on Huey Long was an attack on the word of God.