Disposable income per capita rose 9%from 1923 to 1929 yet the wealthiest 1% saw their disposable income rise a whopping 42%.(McElvaine 38) The lack of disposable income for the middle and lower class led to an oversupply of goods that were not considered necessities such as cars and radios. Since most people could not afford these overstocked items the solution was to allow them to be purchased on credit. The concept of buy now and pay later caught on quickly and by 1929 60%of all cars and 80% of all radios were bought on credit.(Shepard) The middle class continued to spend and consumer debt climbed from $1.38 billion in 1925 to over 3 billion in 1929 and 80% of Americans had no savings at all.(McElvaine41).
The gap between rich and poor was further widened by the policies of the federal government. President Calvin Coolidge's administration greatly favored business. His two leading Cabinet members were Herbert Hoover and Andrew Mellon. Hoover's role as Secretary of Commerce was to provide assistance for business. Andrew Mellon, Secretary of the treasury was one of the richest men in America. His major goal was the reduction of the tax burden on the rich.(McElvaine57) Mellon purposed Revenue Act of 1926, which Calvin College signed into law. It reduced federal income and inheritance taxes dramatically on the richest one percent.(Gusmorino) Mellon was also generous in granting tax credits, abatements, and refunds to large corporations and individuals friendly to the Republican Party.(McElvaine57) In the Collidge administration money and credit were available to industries for investment thanks to pressure on the Federal Reserve Board to keep the discount rate low. In 1927 the Federal Reserve Board's decision to lower rates one half point to 3.5% which it said was needed to stabilize the pound actually meant more money at home for stock speculation.(McElvaine44) The federal government favored new industries over agricultural.
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The great depression began around the 1930's and ended near the late 1930's. ... Almost 30% of the people during the great depression were unemployed. ... The Chrysler building was created during the great depression. ... Fads and fashion was coming along very strong in the great depression. ... Sports were a major fad for men during the great depression. ...
The Great Depression The Great Depression was one of the longest depressions in the history of North America left Americans shaken. ... My grandmother, a survivor from the great depression says "we had to gather food from were ever we could find it, we were starving". ... The Great Depression sent people that were ordinarily comfortable with life scurrying for reassuring shelter and it left many people badly shaken from the experience. ... People that went through the Great Depression and survived will forever remember the way that it felt to stand in line for hours for food or even to...
Economics during the Great Depression were very different than periods of time during the depression. ... People were not earning much money during The Great Depression. ... Political views also changed during the Great Depression. ... Shirley Temple, Will Rogers, and marie Dressler were few great performers during the Great Depression. ... The Great Depression has definitely left it's mark on America. ...
So the average American was living quite content, but had no savings if something was to happen like, The Great Depression. ... The collapse of the stock market did not cause "The Great Depression" like many may think, it was a total accumulation of wealth, bad business deals and the stock market . ... The Great Depression was a worldwide phenomena, more than 1300 banks closed in 1930 and 3700 more within the next two years. ... At this time The Great Depression had psychological effects and health effects on our nation. ... In 1939, the final chapter to "The Great Depress...
The Great Depression When Franklin D. Roosevelt took office, America was going through what was known as the Great Depression. ... Farm families are an example who suffered during the Great Depression. ... The banks were closing down due to the depression. ... The Great Depression was not the first or only depression Americans had seen, but it was the worst. ...
The Great Depression The Great Depression was the greatest economic slump to ever occur in US history. The depression began in late 1929 and lasted throughout the following decade. Several factors played key roles in bringing about the depression. ... However, though a great deal more work was being done, the average wage for a manufacturing worker increased minimally. ... Though the Great Depression has long since ended, it continues to leave an indelible imprint on our economic society. ...
Great Depression was the worst and longest economic collapse in the history of the modern industrial world. ... The depression started in the United States and spread to most of the world's industrial countries. ... During the Great Depression there were rapid falls in the production and sale of goods and a rise in unemployment. There were many factors to the cause of the Depression. ... Another one of the factors to the Great Depression was what the government had done or had not done to ensure that this would not happen. ...
The Great Depression On Thursday October 24, 1929 at 10:00am the stock market bell went off at the New York Stock Exchange, stocks were plummeting down. ... The Great Depression did not just happen there were many factors that contributed to the depression like the United States international credit system, economic dependency, and international trade policies. ... The great depression is a very important chapter in our history. Through the great depression we learned many great lessons and as a country we came to realize how fragile what may ...
Causes of the Great Depression The Great Depression was the severe economic crisis that began in 1929, that sent the United States into a frenzy. ... It's undeniable that the Great Depression was one of the hardest trails the US has had to endure. ... The Great Depression was a trying and difficult time for America. ... Work Cited Page America's Great Depression. ... Available http://odur.let.rug.n1/~usa/H/1994/ch9_p8.htm "Great Depression" Encyclopedia.com . ...
