- In office since
- March 4, 1929
- Left office
- March 4, 1933
- Born
- August 10, 1874
- Died
- October 20, 1964
- Religion
- Episcopal Church[2]
Life phases1
One octagon for each phase of the life of Herbert Hoover. Each of the eight axes is scored 0 to 5 against a written rubric from documented evidence, with its source; an axis without evidence is a gap, not a zero. There is no total and no ideal shape: it is a profile, not a ranking. Appearance and personality are not axes, because they cannot be scored from evidence.
Overview1895–1964Each axis from the most recent phase that scored it. Phases: Mining engineer, relief administrator and Secretary of Commerce (1895–1928); President of the United States (1929–1933); Former President and Hoover Commission chair (1933–1964).
No total and no ideal shape: a longer spoke means more of that axis, so a long Misconduct spoke is more documented misconduct.
Scores, rubric and sources
- 01Education3 of 5
- High confidenceStanford BS 1895.[1]Highest attainment by then: 1 secondary school, 2 some college, 3 bachelor's degree, 4 master's or professional degree, 5 doctorate.
- 02Wealth5 of 5
- Low confidenceEstimated personal fortune of $4 million by 1914, compared with a first salary of $5,000 a year as a mine scout in the 1890s. No period distribution threshold was opened, so placement near the top 0.1% is a judgement.[1]Net worth or income against the national thresholds of the time: 1 below the median household, 3 top 5%, 5 top 0.1%.
- 03Position5 of 5
- High confidenceHead of state and government 4 March 1929 - 4 March 1933.[1]Scope of the role held: 1 entry level, 3 senior manager or legislator, 5 head of state or government, or the top role of a major institution.
- 04Public standingNo evidence
- Public approval or favourability where it was measured: 1 under 20%, 3 35 to 50%, 5 over 65%.
- 05Health3 of 5
- Medium confidenceThree major illnesses in his last two years, including August 1962 intestinal surgery; died 20 October 1964 aged 90 from internal bleeding.[1]Documented health where an examination or disclosure exists: 5 no documented concern, 1 a serious documented condition.
- 06MisconductNo evidence
- The documented legal and ethics record within the phase, as in the misconduct meter: 0 none documented, 1 only matters resolved in their favour, 2 an open matter, 3 one finding, 4 two or three, 5 four or more. More is more documented misconduct.
- 07Social good3.5 of 5
- Low confidence1946-47 postwar food missions and a school meals programme in the US and British zones of Germany serving 3.5 million children; Hoover Commission recommendations partly adopted by Truman.[1]Assessed effects of what they did in the phase on health, safety, education, rights and the environment, from official statistics or peer-reviewed evidence: 0 clearly harmful, 2.5 mixed, 5 clearly beneficial.
- 08Economic good1 of 5
- Medium confidenceGNP fell about 30% between 1928 and 1932; Smoot-Hawley raised average industrial duties from 31% to 34% and drew retaliation; money supply contracted; national debt rose from about 20% to 40% of GNP; the Revenue Act of 1932 raised the top rate from 25% to 63%.[5]Assessed effects of what they did in the phase on efficiency, growth and fiscal sustainability, from CBO and peer-reviewed evidence, as in the good-for-society reading: 0 clearly harmful, 2.5 mixed, 5 clearly beneficial.
Laws and contributions1
Health, weight and religion appear only where the person, their physician or a reputable outlet has published them; each links to its source.