The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

And it won't now.

The Stock Market crashed in 1929. FDR was elected in 1932 and introduced the New Deal. Many believe that the New Deal ended the Great Depression. Consider that the Great Depression didn't end until our introduction into World War II that didn't happen in earnest until 1942. If all of those government programs and Democratic economic policies were the answer to the Depression, why did it take 10 years to get us out of it? Could we say that the New Deal PROLONGED the Great Depression versus ended it?

Unemployment in 1932 was 23.6%. Unemployment had only dropped to 17.1% by the end of the decade. The Dow didn't reach 1929 levels until 1954. The fact remains that the most aggressive presidency in our history with all of its central planning and government intervention into the market with its work programs and raising the top tax rate from 25% to 63%, didn't end the Depression. World War did.

Unfortunately, because FDR remained president during WWII (in which he did a wonderful job as commander in chief), he gets credit also for ending the GD because of all of his economic policies. The truth, when examined, says something else.

Government bailouts aren't going to work. Obama's infrastructure programs won't work. You have to allow failure in a capitalistic economy. Capitialism without failure is like Christianity without sin.

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

I wish I could locate a qoute I read once it was something like this, While historians may credit FDR with bringing us out of the Great Depression, Economists know better.

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

Did Bush get it backwards? He did the war thing first. Perhaps he should start another war before he leaves office. Pakistan? Iran? Venezuela? Zimbabwe?

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

:yo

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

I couldn't have said it better myself! :santathumb

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

Well at least Pakistan, Iran and Zimbabwe would not be wars without proper cause.

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

Well, Zimbabwe for sure. And maybe Sudan.

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

Pakistan and Iran are MUCH MORE WORTHY to bear the brunt of America' righteous indignation through military might than Iraq ever was.

Sudan, there's not a western power willing to do anything substantial there-- just way too many players involved and not enough in it for any one country to commit military assets.

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

I'm not much of a hawk so I'll pass on the first comment.

But what does the above bolded statement reference?

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

Not enough profit for any one country to get involved, not enough of a threat for everyone to get involved, not enough honest, armed and healthy Sudanese to even try to align one's elite forces with to bring about change from the inside out.

This is solely my opinion on the Sudan situation.

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

This is the conventional political wisdom for sure. I'm not sure it's the righteous way to look at it. Genocide should always be vigorously opposed by those who claim the moral authority to act in righteously indignant ways no matter the political or economic consderations.

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

I agree with you.

However, America has never been a theocracy. Our Country is the best country around, I mean that-- there's no other country I'd fight for, possibly lay down my life for (though I hate thinking like that 'cuz the idea is to make the other guy die for his country.)

But America will still will face the same fate of all the other nations who forget God, in the end. This world will be baptized by fire.

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

DB, I agree! It was the entry into WW2 that ended the great depression.
Perhaps the new deal made the Great Depression less than it could have been?

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

:christmoose about the bolded part. good one!

True, we're not a theocracy (I'm no believer in Dominion Theology either that's for sure!) but I thought we were a culture of moral authority, based on Judeo-Christian values. But does our foreign policy reflect that? Sometimes I wonder. Well, most of the time I wonder.

Re: The New Deal Didn't End the Great Depression
 

I think the most honest answer to your question is, "Sometimes."