The Economics of the Great Depression Mark Wheeler, Editor First Chapter | Table of Contents 220 pp. 1999 $17.00 paper 978-0-88099-191-9 Certain events define eras. The Great Depression, for instance, exemplifies the interwar period leading up to World War II. But, as it turns out, the reach of the Great Depression extends to this day, two generations after the event occurred. Policies enacted during the those tumultuous times continue to define basic structures of the American economy, and economists are still unsure of exactly what caused our most severe economic downturn. It's no wonder, then, that understanding the Great Depression is often seen as the "Holy Grail" of economics. This book contributes to our understanding of the Great Depression's immediate and long-term impacts on the American economy. Editor Mark Wheeler has gathered six scholars from a range of subdisciplines within economics who, together, offer a diverse look at the Depression's effects on the nation's GDP, workers and labor markets, and monetary policy. |