How Did The Depression End?

What brought about the ending of the Great Depression for America?

 

My understanding is that it was the wartime economy-- first the retooling and producing for lend/lease then our direct involvement in WWII that ended that downturn.

 

New Deal?
Then World War II?

Nothing like a good old fashioned war to boost the economy.

 

One reason I wanted to ask this question is because Barack has been compared to FDR with the thinking that he will adopt some New Deal policies to get us out of this current financial crisis. Many people are under the impression that FDR's New Deal ended the Depression. But if that's not the case then wouldn't Barack be going in the wrong direction thinking that some new version of FDR's policies will solve this current financial crisis? I've read that the New Deal policies helped to alleviate the suffering of the Depression but WWII actually got us out of it.

 

massive spending for WW2 i think..

atleast thats what i was taught last year

 

I have serious doubts that the people in charge have any real desire to end the economic downturn but there's zero chance that anyone is going to come out and admit they are looking to thin the herd. If the Fed really wanted to stimulate the economy then there are far more effective ways to spend 700 billion dollars than to shell it out to banks so they can either sit on it or use it to buy smaller banks and consolidate.... not to mention that a sizeble chunk of capital has left the country via multinational financial institutions who put their hand out when the U.S. Government announced that it would be doling.

 

In his weekly video address today, Obama said he will create 2.5 million jobs over the next year through large infrastructure projects. Sounds similar to FDR's New Deal. The government -- flawed, yes, but public and accountable to citizens -- takes charge of new spending instead of relying on the greed of a flawed and increasingly-corrupt private market.

He'll be criticized for typical Democratic "tax and spend" policies, but this is a long-overdue INVESTMENT. I hope people see that before they start crying "liberal." The money will go to construction contractors and blue-collar laborers instead of CEOs and oil companies. Plus, it will help launch the "new economy" for renewable energy that we need to ween ourselves from carbon.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/22/obama.economy/index.html


QUOTE:
American workers will rebuild the nation's roads and bridges, modernize its schools and create more sources of alternative energy, creating 2.5 million jobs by 2011.
"These aren't just steps to pull ourselves out of this immediate crisis," he said. "These are the long-term investments in our economic future that have been ignored for far too long."

 

WWII definetly ended the dirty thirties. Expect WWIII within 5-8 years.

 

Ww2.

 

obamas plan is by 2011, by then this country will need at the very least 20 million new jobs. do you realize there are over 10 million unemployed RIGHT NOW?

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aZdisKigEQIE&refer=home

sure throw a big number out there and to most he looks like a savior,to those of us who keep track of whats going on he looks like a big fucking joke...

hes spitting into the wind..

 

you sound like the grinch who stole democracy

 

Bushes are like puppies. They're cute, but hard to clean up after. You're right, it is a fucking joke. Trying to make lemonade out of the Bush piss-pot will not be easy. Clinton did it. Obama's mess is uglier. The boy was much sloppier than the daddy.

 

Nah- I think it's pretty much a realistic expectation... things are quite likely too far gone for a federal jobs program to be of much help. I don't blame Obama though... he inherited the mother of all economic shit storms that most likely will eclipse the great depression- especially in some parts of the country. There simply are not the resources available to deal with the massive unemployment that is on our doorstep. The service and retail economy is on the verge of being taken down big time and if automotive cannot be saved we will be for all intensive purposes be de-industrialized with a large, self entitled, and unruly population suddenly with all the time it needs to create chaos because it's hungry and pissed off at the lack of gainful employment.

Don't be surprised if, when you finally get laid off there are no unemployment funds available for you. Maybe there will be emergency shelter for you through the winter next year but don't bet on it. Take a picture of your shopping malls and big box retailers because they probably won't going to be there much longer. Food is likely going to be scarce too. I hope the fuck I'm wrong but my gut feeling says otherwise.

 

My parents were of that generation (both born in the early 1920s), as were all their friends, so I've heard countless stories. The only thing they all seem to agree strongly on is that it didn't end until well after WW2 was completely over.

Even then, a lot of Americans didn't see any real improvement until much later. I have relatives in the rural south who did not yet have indoor plumbing or electricity as late as 1970, but who are now pretty well-off.

 

I don't think the depression did end, we still feel like shit and are on course of feeling the need to feel different than how we feel

 

we didnt have indoor plumbing till we moved off the farm,i think i was in 5th grade but it wasnt cause we were poor it was cause the house was just to old to throw the money into..

im not sure indoor plumbing is a good indicator of the end of the depression.. lol

 

The New Deal was too small to end the depression by itself. On the other hand, we still use today much of the infrastructure created under the New Deal.

Will Obama's plan help many families get through this? Yes. Will it leave a lasting legacy of infrastructure that benefits everyone? Yes.

 

im glad everyone is so confident that everything will go exactly as planned.

there are just to many variables right now for me to even start to believe he will accomplish what he says he is setting out to do..
lets be realistic,a major terrorist attack that wipes out say half of chicago will completely change everything and they are already warning us a terror attack WILL come,so i just cant put much faith in any plan right now..

 

only to those who believe in fairytales...

 

Nobody is confident everything will go as planned.

And yet, we have to do something, and we have to act as if we are confident. You deal with problems you have, plan for problems you will have, and leave wiggle room for the plans you may have.