Great Depression in the United States government dealt with economic downturns, such as the use of stimulus packages, Keynesian economics, and Social Security. It also shaped modern American literature, resulting in famous novels such as John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Of Mice and Men". Examining the causes of the Great Depression raises multiple issues: what factors set off the first downturn in 1929; what structural weaknesses and specific events turned it into a major depression; how the downturn spread from country to country; and why the economic recovery was so prolonged. Many banks began to fail in October 1930 when farmers defaulted on loans.
Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression (original: 1970/ latest edition: 2005) is a telling of the oral history of the Great Depression written by Studs Terkel. It is a firsthand account of people of varying socio-economic status who lived in the United States during the Great Depression. The first edition of the book was published in 1970. The 1986 print included a new introduction by Terkel. The latest edition was published in 2005. "Hard Times" is known for providing an equal representation of experiences across a broad spectrum