The activities of US President Theodore Roosevelt to strengthen the executive branch of government in the context of industrial modernization

The subject of the study is the issue of changing the role of the president in the political system of the United States of America in the context of the socio-economic challenges of industrial modernization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The subject of the study is the activities of the country's 26th leader, Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909), who, taking advantage of the nationwide demand for active government policy, carried out "square deal" reforms aimed at combating monopolies and weakening interclass contradictions. The author examines in detail such aspects of the topic as the use of presidential executive orders, as well as the relationship between the head of state and Congress and the judicial branch of government. Particular attention is paid to the study of the White House's personnel policy and its influence on the political course of the Republican administration. The purpose of the article is to analyze those practical steps of T. Roosevelt that contributed to the formation of the modern institution of the presidency. Public speeches and letters from the 26th President of the United States on domestic political issues were used as a source. The methods of historicism and objectivism were actively used in the study, and comparative and problem-chronological approaches were used to analyze the reforms of the "square deal" and identify patterns in individual executive orders. The novelty of the study lies in its examination of the key steps taken by the Roosevelt administration to expand the powers of the executive branch. It has been proven that the reforms of the "Square Deal," in particular the Elkins and Hepburn antitrust laws, the Employer Liability Act, and the use of labour arbitration, contributed to more active intervention by the federal government in socio-economic processes. Another important factor in the expansion of presidential powers was the transfer of officials to a civil service system free from party patronage. In addition, T. Roosevelt resolutely pursued an environmental policy, using the law on antiquities to create new reserves. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that the period of T. Roosevelt's rule became significant for the evolution of the institution of the presidency. The main conclusion of the study is that Roosevelt's personal qualities, especially his desire to take active measures to support strong executive power, played a major role in promoting the "square deal" reforms and executive orders of the White House.