What Caused The Great Depression Essay

The “Roaring 20s” was a time of joy and excitement. Despite the prohibition law that banned all alcohol, America was at its peak. The first radio commercial had been broadcasted, Babe Ruth had hit 60 home runs, and almost everybody was dancing the Charleston. Nobody expected that such a “grand” era would lead to one of America’s worst economic downfalls, known as the Great Depression. How could America’s peak lead to such a dreadful economic trough? Most people probably think that the stock market crash of 1929 is the only cause of the Great Depression, but in fact, several factors had contributed to the Great Depression. The Great Depression was caused by speculation and installment buying, international payment problems, and uneven income distribution.

There are some main causes The great depression, first in 1934 per week They made $ 4.80 per week and They paid $ 3 by The incomes of Their Homes, all that happened to Birmingham Alabama in 1934, in Chicago everything rises for The men and The women for the food , And then spent $ 1.10 that was spent on food in stores, The three cases are The three cases were The financial downfall, low wages, and unemployment.

The United States began as a hardworking agricultural country. It seemingly led up to what felt like the best years of America, the 1920’s. Widely known as the roaring 20’s were when the industrial and stock market boomed. However too much of a good thing can only end badly, and the 20’s were no exception. On October 29, 1929, better known as “Black Tuesday”, the stock market crashed and America was flipped upside down.

In 1929, the United States economy appears to be good and strong, at the moment; all Americans have some extra money or credit to buy some extra goods. The good economy was reflected in the Stock market, profits were big, more and more people invested in Stocks. In addition, farmers produced more wheat, cotton, corn, etc. and industries produced more goods that the needed to supply the country (over production), farmers’ and industries owners’ ambition make them produce more and more crops and goods. Americans using credit to buy goods they can’t pay, everyone investing all its savings on the stock market, overproduction on farm and industry area, plus America's new way of think, and other economic factors, make the economy of the country less strong, produce more unemployment and as result pushing the country into the Great Depression.

There are multiple conditions that occurred in the US that aided in the economic downturn leading to the Great Depression. Prior to the stock market crash of 1929, a classical approach, advocated by Adam Smith, was how America felt its political and economic system functioned. Adam Smith’s classical approach is embedded in the concept of a laissez-faire economic market, which suggests that the US would thrive if left alone (lecture). This approach requires a noninterfering government and allows individuals to follow their own self-interest, which was supposed to keep economic order (Cochran & Malone). Additionally, as discussed in lecture, this theory assumes that markets are inherently stable, self-adjusting and self-regulating, and

The Great Depression started in 1929 and lasted up until 1939. It happens to be the worst economic downturn for the United States and the the rest of the world. It caused companies and corporations to eventually go bankrupt as well as workers to be laid off. Another effect of The Great Depression is that factory production was reduced, and the banks started to shut down. In the lowest point of The Great Depression in 1933 nearly 15 million workers in America were unemployed and one half of the banks started shutting down.

The Great Depression remains to be the worst economic slump ever in American history and one which spread practically all over the industrialized world. The Depression bombarded in late 1929 and lasted nearly a decade. Many factors elemented the depth of the widespread prosperity. However, combined, the greatly unequal distribution of wealth throughout the 1920's and the extensive stock market speculation that took place during the latter part that same decade remain the key of all elements.

Few Americans in the first months of 1929 saw any reason to question the strength and stability of the nation's economy. Most agreed with their new president that the booming prosperity of the years just past would not only continue but increase, and that dramatic social progress would follow in its wake. "We in America today," Herbert Hoover had proclaimed in August 1928, "are nearer to the final triumph over poverty than ever before in the history of any land. The poorhouse is vanishing from among us."1

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution early in the nineteenth century the United States ad experienced recessions or panics at least every twenty years. But none was as severe or lasted as long as the Great Depression. Only as the economy shifted toward a war mobilization in the late 1930s did the grip of the depression finally ease.

Many people speculate that the stock market crash of 1929 was the main cause of The Great Depression. In fact, The Great Depression was caused by a series of factors, and the effects of the depression were felt for many years after the stock market crash of 1929. By looking at the stock market crash of 1929, bank failures, reduction of purchasing, American economic policy with Europe, and drought conditions, it becomes apparent that The Great Depression was caused by more than just the stock market crash. The effects were detrimental beyond the financial crisis experienced during this time period.

Uneven distribution of wealth serves as another cause of the Great Depression. America was wealthy in the 1920s, but this wealth did not extend to all segment of the society. The gains made by wealthy Americans in the 1920s far outstripped gained made by the working class. By the time of the stock market crash, the upper one percent of the population controlled over sixty percent of the nation’s savings. On the other hand, over three quarters of American families made less than $3000 a year. Problems that could develop from this situation were obvious. The bottom-line three-quarters of families were too poor to purchase much to help the economics to flourish. Underconsumption, in the long run, was a vicious circle to the economy. People had no money to spend. The income of many firms dwindled. More people were laid off or cut hours and thus further cut their spending. The economics became stagnant.

Many people think that the Great Depression was caused solely by the stock market crash. Anybody who tells you this probably didn’t pass U.S. History in high school. The fact is, the Great Depression was caused many different factors. Four of which were overproduction, uneven distribution of wealth, protective tariffs, and the four “sick industries” of the 1920’s.

On October 29th, 1929 the stock market crashed and more than 10 billion dollars vanished within five hours. It is hard to imagine being in the 1920s and trying to withdraw your deposit from the bank and the bank in the not being able to give you your money back. So instead imagine this modern day scenario: you go to the grocery store and when you reach the check out you are try to use your credit cards and are unable to. Thinking this was a banking error you go to the bank and it is closed, completely abandoned, and now you have no way of paying for food, gas for your car, or any other necessity. There is no way of knowing if a national depression of the same magnitude of 1929 could or could not occur again economists are constantly debating

There are various factors that led to the Great Depression. To begin, the lack of bank regulation was a big factor. The Federal Reserve Act which made banks have money on reserve, was not enforced. Another big factor was easy credit, Easy credit made it easy for people to get money out the bank without having the money to pay it back. Furthermore, the reduction in purchasing across the board can easily be said to be another key factor. With the stock market being down many people within every social class stop purchasing items. Which would cause a decreased not only the number of items being purchased but also the loss of people jobs. Many people had thing on layaway, so usually they would just pay for it monthly. However once they lost their

The economic expansion of the 1920’s, with its increased production of goods and high profits, culminated in immense consumer speculation that collapsed with disastrous results in 1929 causing America’s Great Depression. There were a number or contributing factors to the depression, with the largest and most important one being a general loss of confidence in the American economy. The reason it escalated was a general misunderstanding of recessions by American policymakers of the time.