They viewed the Great Depression as an indicator that Capitalism was a failure. The oppression of the poor and the alienation of Wall Street from the common folk was seen as an inherent problem with Capitalism and made Socialist and Communist critiques more acceptable and reasoned. Membership in the Socialist and Communist Parties in the USA rose, but were never large enough to directly challenge Democrat or Republican policy like the Populists had in the late 1800s. However, many of President Franklin Roosevelt's reforms were based on socialist principles and expanded government.