What Your Teacher Never Told You About The Great Depression

Alec Parent, Founder

Anybody remember the Depression of 1921? Yeah, didn’t think so. Now what about the one in 1929, what we now all call the “Great Depression”? Of course you remember that one, but why not the one in 1921? Because the Depression of 1921 lasted only one year while the Great Depression was around a decade long. The difference between the two was when the Depression of 1921 hit, the government did virtually nothing, letting the free market take its course. In short they stayed out of the economy. Sure it was rough for a bit, but the economy repaired itself just like it always does when there is no interference. Conversely, when people started losing their jobs in the early ‘30s, the government initiated massive welfare and “stimulus” programs that transformed a bad economic downturn into depression.

Just like they did in the prosperous economic times of the ‘30s and ‘70s, Washington seems to think that they can cure America’s economic woes with a rapid expansion of government and some good ‘ole spending. Before Obama took office it was said that he would take the approach to “fixing” the economy that Franklin Roosevelt did. This was applauded by many who didn’t know any better. The thing is, Roosevelt didn’t end the Great Depression like most of us were taught in school (or shall I say indoctrinated). In fact, a study by UCLA economists (here) states that Roosevelt’s economic policies actually extended the Great Depression by 7 years. This study is in line with what many economists have been saying for years, but contradicts what has been taught to students for years. The question is: Why did we never learn about this in school? That’s easy, the Teacher’s Union would never in a million years do anything to tarnish the reputation of one of their idols. I personally have experienced the indoctrination that we call the Public School System. My 8^th grade history teacher was a communist, like an actual communist. He was probably one of the biggest New Deal supporters there has ever been and he often professed his love for Roosevelt’s “Economic Bill of Rights”. I realize most teachers aren’t this radical (I could be wrong though), but just about every other history teacher I’ve ever had has taught the class about how Roosevelt ended the Great Depression with the New Deal and his other economic policies. One of the consequences of this sort misplaced adulation by so many schoolteachers is two generations have grown up thinking that Roosevelt’s policies of excessive government spending and his exponential growth of government ended the Great Depression. So when Obama proposed trillions of dollars in spending and a huge increase in the power of the federal government, many people just said, “Worked before!” Meanwhile, this welcomed government spending is wrecking the economy and setting our country up for disaster years down the road.

Until we take back the classroom from teachers that seek to use it as an opportunity to brainwash unsuspecting students, people will continue to buy into the faulty idea that government through reckless spending can fix the economy.