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What Were the Causes of the Great Depression?

Dan Cavallari
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Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 12,160
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While there is no consensus among economists today when trying to pinpoint the exact causes of the Great Depression, many historians feel the stock market crash of 1929 in the United States was the ultimate cause of the depression. Others, however, contend that the stock market crash was merely a symptom rather than one of the causes of the Great Depression, pointing instead to a series of mounting problems preceding the stock market crash that caused a volatile situation.

Several factors combined to become the causes of the Great Depression. The United States Federal Reserve made a series of decisions that contracted the money supply, and at the same time, banks in the U.S. began failing. Whether these factors caused the stock market crash is up for debate, but eventually the stock market did crash, causing a ripple effect throughout the world. Free markets were affected and monetary values plummeted, and while interest rates also fell, most Americans were feeling enough of a squeeze that they either would not or could not spend their money.

Ultimately, the causes of the Great Depression were numerous, not simply one action or condition that led to collapse. What might have been a less severe recession turned into a depression when consumer confidence plummeted; consumers simply did not want to spend their money, which led to a slowed economy. Further compounded by malfeasance on the part of large banks that ended up collapsing catastrophically, the markets suffered as people felt it would be wise to avoid investments and spending until the markets righted themselves. This led to decreased demand.

Other economists believe the causes of the Great Depression can be traced more toward regulatory mistakes made by governing bodies. As banks began to fail, the Federal Reserve simply watched and waited to see what happened. Some economists argue that the Federal Reserve should have stepped in to stop the larger banks from failing, thereby preventing widespread panic that led to a run on money. Others, however, believe that capitalism itself is designed to fail when too much capital is gained by any single entity. This Marxist view essentially points the finger at the over-accumulation of wealth as a societal issue that must be solved rather than simply an economic one.

These economic issues were not isolated in the United States. The Great Depression spread throughout major markets all over the world, and Europe, too, felt the devastating effects of the depression. Historians and economists often point to World War II as the end of the Great Depression, as jobs were created in manufacturing to create armaments and other necessities for war.

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Dan Cavallari
By Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari, a talented writer, editor, and project manager, crafts high-quality, engaging, and informative content for various outlets and brands. With a degree in English and certifications in project management, he brings his passion for storytelling and project management expertise to his work, launching and growing successful media projects. His ability to understand and communicate complex topics effectively makes him a valuable asset to any content creation team.

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Discussion Comments
By Inaventu — On Mar 20, 2014

A lot of people like to point fingers at president Herbert Hoover for triggering the Great Depression, but I'm not one of them. He certainly made some major tactical errors, but he was using economic theories that had worked in the past. He was actually one of our most intelligent presidents, but he got thrown into a situation that had been brewing for at least a year before he took office. The stock crash of 1929 happened very early in his first term, and was probably the end result of events that happened during the Coolidge administration.

I'm not saying that Hoover was unfairly judged as a president, but I am saying that decisions were made by others that had just as much of an impact on the economy as any executive decision Hoover ever made.

By RocketLanch8 — On Mar 19, 2014

One thing that's important to remember is that the US economy was glowing white hot during the mid 1920s. If it used electricity, consumers were buying it. People couldn't get enough automobiles. Houses and office buildings were going up at a blistering pace. When an economy runs that hot for that long, a big crash is almost inevitable.

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari, a talented writer, editor, and project manager, crafts high-quality, engaging, and informative content for various outlets and brands. With a degree in English and certifications in project management, he brings his passion for storytelling and project management expertise to his work, launching and growing successful media projects. His ability to understand and communicate complex topics effectively makes him a valuable asset to any content creation team.
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