The measure of a man's success in life is not the money he's made. It's the kind of family he has raised.- Kennedy

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Joseph Kennedy, father of JFK, “bobby” & Ted Kennedy, was appointed by President Roosevelt in 1934 to be the 1st chairman of the Securities & Exchange Commission. By 1935 Kennedy had helped to restore the economy. He said, “An organized functioning society requires a planned economy. The more complex the society the greater the demand for planning”, prudence, and responsible regulation. “Planned action is imperative, or else capitalism and the American scheme of life will be in serious jeopardy.” Bobby described his father’s mentality, “We were to try harder than anyone else, we might not be the best, and none of us were, but we were to make the effort to be the best.” Kennedy family, through strict and loving disciplines, has become legendary.

The Kennedy Patriarchs

The Kennedy brothers - John was the first Catholic US president, Robert “bobby” was Attorney General, Ted the youngest Kennedy boy, was one of the most influential senators. However, these three men did not begin the Kennedy dynasty, but they were the greatest products of a historic political family.

Joseph Kennedy, the father of the Kennedy brothers, was a Boston businessman who was a millionaire by 1926 and was one of the few prudent businessmen who escaped the Great depression almost unscathed. When the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) was founded in 1934, President Roosevelt appointed him to be the first chairman of the commission. By 1935 Joe Kennedy had helped to restore the economy by creating new trade regulations and restored the capital market. He said, “An organized functioning society requires a planned economy. The more complex the society the greater the demand for planning,” and declared with urgency, “Planned action is imperative, or else capitalism and the American scheme of life will be in serious jeopardy.” The lessons we can learn from Kennedy’s time at the SEC are that of economic planning, prudence, and responsible regulation.

After leaving the SEC in 1935, Kennedy took his family to Europe and Roosevelt made him the Ambassador to England. From this post he preached his anti-war sentiments, but believed that the United States should aid the French and British without joining the war. When the war broke out in Europe the family returned and Joe was isolated from his children.

Despite rising as a public servant his political career was not Kennedy’s proudest achievement but rather his children. As he declared, “The measure of a man’s success in life is not the money he’s made. It’s the kind of family he has raised.” He groomed his children for success and would accept nothing less than their best effort nor were they allowed to wallow in defeat. Bobby described his father’s mentality, “We were to try harder than anyone else, we might not be the best, and none of us were, but we were to make the effort to be the best.” Kennedy family mealtime has become legendary. The Kennedys indulged in long conversations about various topics mostly current events and history. Joe and Rose would provide long, thorough answers to any question, no matter how simple. When he was not in England he spent as much time as possible. It was through this strict and loving discipline that Joe Kennedy began the greatest political dynasty in American history.

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Photos courtesy of Bettmann / CORBIS, Boston Women's Heritage Trail, jfklibrary.org, John Loengard / Time & Life Pictures / Getty, Spencer Platt / Getty, Dorothy Wilding / Time & Life Pictures / Getty, AP, and Wikipedia

Original Source: history easy button

Photo Gallery: A Kennedy Family Album