Why did President Hoover responded cautiously to the Great Depression ?

He took a protectionist measure called the Smoot-Hawley tariff which increased dramatically tariffs on imports and failed.

President Hoover responded cautiously to the Great Depression for several reasons. Firstly, he held strong beliefs in the principles of limited government intervention in the economy. He believed that market forces would naturally correct themselves over time and that excessive government interference could worsen the situation or create long-term economic distortions. Secondly, Hoover was concerned about maintaining a balanced budget and avoiding deficit spending, which he believed could lead to inflation and undermine confidence in the government's fiscal responsibility. Additionally, Hoover was hesitant to enact large-scale relief programs out of fear that they would foster dependency and undermine individual initiative. Instead, he favored volunteerism and private charity as primary means of addressing the economic crisis. However, Hoover's cautious approach ultimately proved inadequate in stemming the tide of the Great Depression, and his administration faced criticism for its perceived inaction in the face of widespread suffering and economic hardship.