Depression, can it happen again?

[zealyouthguy]

Can America (and the world) experience another Great Depression?

[Guest Guest]

It wouldn't be the same as the last Great Depression, but it would be worse because most people wouldn't have a clue what to do.

If anything like that did happen, I'd rather be living out in the country than the city. City folks would be clueless, but simple country people could survive. :smile

[matie-k]

I can't vote...I don't know, but it's not that I don't care about if it happens or not, and I sure don't care what happens in the Patriot's game!

[Anon]

It would be different...people would expect the government to provide...and the government would go into debt trying to do so....etc... I do not know how it would turn out. If a Great Depression did come, it would throw the country into a complete and absolute socialist government so I did not vote.

[pneu-engine]

Yes, it would be bad, but that's like calling the Atlantic Ocean a mud puddle. It would be infinitely worse than anything we've seen so far in this country. It would happen b/c the government is already in debt so far it cannot get out and there just isn't anymore money from any other country willing to give it.

We have to ask ourselves right now what it is we think that is keeping this country afloat what with the horrendous government spending. I.E. The spending of money they do not have.

[pneu-engine]

This is all the more reason for us to get and be as self-sufficient as possible. Personally, my efforts are energy-directed. If I can get this happening, it will be a major task accomplished.

[Anon]

True...its hard to know what would happen. We are so used to blaming the government when bad things happen that everyone would demand their "right" to electricity, gas, oil, medical care, and other luxuries that we have come to expect. When it doesn't happen, the government will probably end up forcing the wealthy to give up their money, throwing us into complete socialism.

[IM4given]

Yes, it would be bad, but that's like calling the Atlantic Ocean a mud puddle. It would be infinitely worse than anything we've seen so far in this country. It would happen b/c the government is already in debt so far it cannot get out and there just isn't anymore money from any other country willing to give it.

We have to ask ourselves right now what it is we think that is keeping this country afloat what with the horrendous government spending. I.E. The spending of money they do not have.

:amen:

[dwayner79]

I had to vote for the last option. Classic.

Honestly, I do not think we would have the kind of depression from before. The technology we have, and the smaller world we have means we are in more "control". Instead, we will see a slow decline of quality of life until markets reach some measure of parity. What americans (and all modernized countries) are going to have to get used to is the fact that in a world economy, it is going to take a decline in quality of life to support the growth in quality of life for countries who are behind. Now I think that can be done wisely and without a major disturbance, but there is still a possibility for major effects on the US. The last issue that could cause a serious issue in the US is oil. This is why oil dependency should be of extreme importance for the country.

[pneu-engine]

The last issue that could cause a serious issue in the US is oil. This is why oil dependency should be of extreme importance for the country.

It is for this very reason that I say we as individuals should concentrate on being energy independent and self-sufficient. Long ago I gave up on expecting the government to help me in time of need. Think about it:::::::: If we could all heat our homes and drive our cars from our own developed fuel just look how much better off we'd be. Then there rae the issues of food and clothing. We can learn how to sew and barter for the rest. :cooldude: :thumb

[dwayner79]

It is for this very reason that I say we as individuals should concentrate on being energy independent and self-sufficient. Long ago I gave up on expecting the government to help me in time of need. Think about it:::::::: If we could all heat our homes and drive our cars from our own developed fuel just look how much better off we'd be. Then there rae the issues of food and clothing. We can learn how to sew and barter for the rest. :cooldude: :thumb

PE, totally agree. I wish we could take bigger steps, but time and money have hindered. We did start a garden this year, and a composter to help with good soil.

[pneu-engine]

I totally remember that, and is why I am using my six 55 gallon polyethylene drums to build my own system. Each one will have it's own batch of compost running its 14 day cycle. The whole thing will be micro-PLC controlled. I use the Parallax Stamps for these operations.

[speerjp1]

I think there could be a depression, but the world is so different now than it was 80 years ago that most comparisons would apples to oranges.

One thing that happened during the Great Depression was that millions of people went to work for the government or began receiving money from the government, so to say that our forefathers got by on their wits is a bit of a romanticized view of the depression. It was a horrible time for the world as a whole and the USA in particular.

I think that one thing that would be different is that we have more to lose now. Back before the depression, folks hadn't accumulated as much junk as we have so the difference in their pre-depression and post-depression lives weren't as disparing. In our day, however, even those in "poverty" are relatively well off and would stand to lose a great deal.

[pneu-engine]

I think there could be a depression, but the world is so different now than it was 80 years ago that most comparisons would apples to oranges.

One thing that happened during the Great Depression was that millions of people went to work for the government or began receiving money from the government, so to say that our forefathers got by on their wits is a bit of a romanticized view of the depression. It was a horrible time for the world as a whole and the USA in particular.

I think that one thing that would be different is that we have more to lose now. Back before the depression, folks hadn't accumulated as much junk as we have so the difference in their pre-depression and post-depression lives weren't as disparing. In our day, however, even those in "poverty" are relatively well off and would stand to lose a great deal.

speer,

It depends on what your forefathers did for their vocations and avocations. My grandparents were homesteaders, and yes they survived by their wits. They learned to be tremendously frugal. Their plan for success for four-fold:::::::

Use it up

Wear it out

Make it do

Do without

I remember seeing a sign on the barn-door::::::

Thieves Beware. Translated::: We shoot to kill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My grandaddy was such a crack-shot he could shoot the eye out of a chicken hawk at 200 yards, and, NO, there was nothing romantic about it..

[John81]

Yes, it would be bad, but that's like calling the Atlantic Ocean a mud puddle. It would be infinitely worse than anything we've seen so far in this country. It would happen b/c the government is already in debt so far it cannot get out and there just isn't anymore money from any other country willing to give it.

We have to ask ourselves right now what it is we think that is keeping this country afloat what with the horrendous government spending. I.E. The spending of money they do not have.

Well said, so I'll just agree!