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Fordism is often used as a term to describe mass production, effectively inspired by Henry Ford from FMC as the process of making vehicles was sped up by a repetitive workflow. This workflow was copied by most major companies and allowed for ease of production. Not only did this allow for more products to be made at a faster pace pushing products into the market. (Kincheloe - Post-Fordism) -
War loan drives created a whole division of investors who were "scarcely imagined by prewar reformers, financial institutions, or corporations." This was an attempt at collecting the war debts. Paired with the War Savings the United States was attempting to buy its way out of debt by selling it to its people. (Ott, When Wall Street Met Main Street) -
This economic depression was triggered by the movement of people, products, and money. The United States had less control over it's economy than ever and banks were falling through, leaving people with no access to their funds - invested or not. The normal rebound didn't take place, and unemployment rose and so did the fear. (Appleby, Relentless Revolution)
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Black Thursday is essentially the beginning of the Great Depression - seen as the beginning of the stock market crash. At the time, those in positions of power surrounding the NYSE were attempting to cover up how bad the situation could get, however it became abundantly clear within 24 hours that investments were no longer stable. This begins the great distrust in the banking system for the general public. (James, 1929: The New York Stock Market Crash) -
The British departure of the gold standard was a turning point for the global economy as they were one of the last to move away from that idea. It was at this time that the Great Depression also became less severe, in a few years the US would be moving in a forward economic direction. (Levy, Ages of American Capitalism) -
Also known as the GI Bill of Rights, the SRA was paired with government spending, that would provide veterans with funding for higher education, access to housing, and insurance against unemployment. This was floated in an effort to reduce the risk of post-war economic turmoil. (Cohen, A Consumer's Republic) -
This was the first ever mass-produced housing which used the Ford production style of individual laborers having specific jobs, allowing for individual houses to be assembled in mere hours. The idea was to create a surplus of housing - the original plans didn't even have shopping marts or schools - that offered affordable living at a lower cost. (Henderson, Long Island NY and Levittown, PA) -
Done once is impressive enough, but done twice shows that there is real market for something like mass produced housing. Following the LI Levittown, PA Levittown didn't gain as much popularity, but still held the same ideas - housing should be quick to assemble and easy to access. (Henderso, Long Island NY, and Levittown PA) -
Wal-Mart lets us into what the service economy could become, starting with a much smaller chain of stores, the opening of Wal-Marts allowed for ease of access to products otherwise not accessible to the average person. Wal-Mart has become a longtime brand for affordable prices and a staple in most communities. (Moreton, The Soul of the Service Economy) -
The 2008 financial crisis is a result of accessible credit lending that was pushed towards the housing market, expanding the housing bubble until it burst, leaving those unable to pay their bills and mortgages. Additionally it cost people their savings, homes, and jobs as they didn't have the funds to continue to live the lifestyle purchased on a line of credit. (Tooze, Crashed) -
As the Lehman brothers filed for bankruptcy, it acted as a warning sign to the entire nation that the economic playing field was not in good condition. The Lehmans had assets, but were unable to raise enough funds to cover their debts which resulted in unbalanced budgets and a monetary flow issue. This was huge because the Lehmans were seen as a larger than life - reliable enterprise. (Hoshi, Financial Regulation)