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The crash marked the collapse of speculative finance and the beginning of the Great Depression, prompting major changes in federal regulatory policy.(Galbraith, John Kenneth. The Great Crash, 1929. Houghton Mifflin, 1954) -
Roosevelt’s New Deal fundamentally restructured the relationship between the federal government and the economy through banking regulation, social welfare programs, and labor protections. It created the regulatory framework that shaped mid-20th-century capitalism. (Kennedy, David M. Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929–1945. Oxford University Press, 1999.) -
The wartime economy ended the Depression, expanded federal planning, and strengthened industrial capacity. Government–business partnerships during this period laid the groundwork for postwar corporate capitalism.(Koistinen, Paul A.C. Arsenal of World War II: The Political Economy of American Warfare, 1940–1945. University Press of Kansas, 2004.) -
The GI Bill democratized access to homeownership and higher education for millions of veterans. It expanded consumer demand and created the mid-century middle class, shaping patterns of wealth and suburbanization.(Mettler, Suzanne. Soldiers to Citizens: The G.I. Bill and the Making of the Greatest Generation. Oxford University Press, 2005.) -
Bretton Woods established the postwar global monetary system, promoting U.S. financial dominance and stable exchange rates. It enabled American corporations and banks to expand internationally.(Helleiner, Eric. States and the Reemergence of Global Finance: From Bretton Woods to the 1990s. Cornell University Press, 1994.) -
The oil embargo triggered inflation, recession, and the end of postwar economic stability. It helped usher in an era of stagflation, weakened labor power, and contributed to the rise of neoliberal economic policy.(Yergin, Daniel. The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power. Simon Schuster, 1991.) -
Policies under Carter and Reagan reduced federal oversight of transportation, finance, and telecommunications. Deregulation accelerated globalization, financialization, and the shift toward market-centered governance.(Vogel, Steven K. Marketcraft: How Governments Make Markets Work. Oxford University Press, 2018.) -
Rapid investment in internet technologies fueled massive economic growth and speculation. The 2001 collapse showed the volatility of tech-driven markets, but also set the stage for Silicon Valley’s dominance in the 21st century.(Cassidy, John. Dot.con: The Greatest Story Ever Sold. HarperCollins, 2002.) -
The collapse of mortgage-backed securities and major financial institutions produced the worst crisis since the 1930s. The government’s unprecedented bailouts highlighted the risks of financialization and reshaped debates over regulation.(Tooze, Adam. Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World. Viking, 2018) -
The pandemic caused widespread business shutdowns, mass unemployment, and massive government stimulus. It exposed deep inequalities and accelerated digitalization, remote work, and corporate consolidation.(Susskind, Daniel, and David Vines, editors. The Economics of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Oxford University Press, 2022.)