Including a link between automobiles and the great depression
the oversimplified explanation of what happened is this:
at the turn of the 20th century, major american cities were being outstripped by europe in terms of urban density. they got plans to build more european-style neighborhoods with its safety and amenities. some wealthy people's investments went up in value, but they also lost a lot when stocks crashed not just a few years later all over again. high incomes were reserved for those with an education or specialized skills, so factories that didn't have factories elsewhere moved there instead. lots of jobs available at low wages made it easier to afford buying homes or cars or other expensive things; then it slowed down because there
how did automobiles affect the great depression?
the great depression greatly impacted america's economic and social structure.
the “great recession” of 1929 left many americans feeling uncertain and anxious, leading to high rates of crime and joblessness. one could argue that the collapse in auto production is what led to the recession- as automobiles were a new form of transportation, their decline affected our economic structure quite significantly. automobile manufacturing was determined by two national laws: one limited usable cars to only those made for families (this group consisted mostly of women), while the other allowed all private individuals to buy cars. perhaps, if we had looked up from this pileup we might have seen that later on without that first law people would eventually rule over roadways again with no limits on who could
did people buy cars during the great depression?
yes.
it's always possible to buy a car during the great depression, but given the policies of fdr, it was not always necessary. under hoover (i.e., after 1929), for instance, the consumer confidence board opposed “quickly bringing normal conditions back to all employment and trade.” as researchers later reported, this policy “limited production instead of increasing it; slowed down spending; limited imports; reduced hours; cut wages” (pramit). fdr changed all that with his new deal policies which arguably created more jobs than they cost. for instance, the national recovery administration (nra) regulated many sectors of industry nationally to prevent another disaster like 1929's black tuesday. the nra also enforced wage-and-
what were cars like during the great depression?
cars during the great depression were different than cars today. today, most people rely on cars for transportation, but in 1929 relying on a car meant that you had extra money. paying for gas wasn't too big of an issue until the late '30s because america's infrastructure didn't allow for gas stations to emerge until this time.
one of the reasons more wealthy american families would have started driving more around 1930 is because they didn't have to worry about shelling out extra cash every week or so since they were able to take care of their own fueling needs right there on their property with whatever hardware was available within arm's reach, say a hand pump or old barrel-and-pulley contraption. of course some
what did the automobile do for the economy?
the automobile impacted the economy as it created a new way of living that increased wealth and increased urbanization. it made certain geographical landscapes more accessible, and changed settlement patterns by shifting industry to cities. it also intensified other modes of transportation such as trains and buses. cars enabled social activities to expand beyond walking range, and people could now connect with even more people than before. as well, the car helped increase an individual's purchasing power by providing easy transport for making purchases from retail locations distant from one's home. the automobile was a huge factor in how we live our lives today!
the automobile created a whole new way of living that impacted the economy greatly. in fact, cars enabled us all to live further away from where
