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Narrative And Informative Essay: The Great Depression

620 Words3 Pages

The Great Depression The Great Depression was a sorrowful turn to a decade of seemingly prosperity. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are difficult to attain during a period like this one. Historians have looked at this time over and over again. They have come up with two alternate realities of the Great Depression. The first one might say is the “conventional” viewpoint and the other the “alternate”. Both provide real explanations, but which is more true and honest? The conventional view, a standard that is held by most every American in the U.S., perhaps around the world. Without a doubt, there is a common theme in this idea. One can gleam a rejection of the government being in the wrong. There seems to be no examination …show more content…

Firstly, the time lapse was from 1914-1945. This difference presents a vast change to the understanding one can attain, in regards to the Great Depression. It could be described as the period of and between the great wars. During WWI, there were policies put in place that hindered economic advances, that were previously possible. There were no longer limitations on the governments involvement in economics, while at war. Germany after the Treaty of Versailles suffered from mass debts. Sadly, Germany had a lack of wealth and was unable to pay back their debts, without taking loans from the U.S. This problem of owing money caused hyperinflation to occur in Germany. After the first war Britain switched their money over to the “Gold Exchange”, which did not help them economically. While making this switch, they also overvalued the pound at 1-4.86 (U.S. dollar). The U.S. in turn reduces its interest (5). Jumping past the roaring 20s, the “depression” hits and the government sets up many different policies, which exacerbate the downfall. Tariffs and wage standards are inflicted and the unemployment rate continues to soar. Overall within the alternate view the government is making all the decision, which keep the depression in place. In this viewpoint, if the government had not interfered as much, the economy would have bounced back. The alternate view depicts a vastly different explanation of the Great

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