Contractionary Issues

The Contractionary Theory: The Great Depression itself was similar to being in a deflationary gap except for an extended period of time. In this case the gap lasted approximately 5 years (1929-1934). During this period the money supply decreased, real GDP declined, stocks plumetted, savings fell, and unemployment soared.

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With significantly less money to go around, businessmen could not get new loans and could not even get their old loans renewed, forcing many to stop investing. This interpretation blames the Federal Reserve, especially the New York branch, which was owned and controlled by Wall Street bankers. The Fed was not controlled by President Herbert Hoover or the U.S. Treasury; it was primarily controlled by member banks and businessmen and it was to these groups that the Fed listened most attentively regarding policies to follow.

In Conclusion: What happens to the quantity of money directly effects what happens to national income and to stock prices. The simple facts are this: during the contractionary stages of the great depression, the U.S. failed to engage in expansionary fiscal policy, that is increasing government expeditures, increasing transfer payments, or decreasing taxes. Thus, following the stock market crash of 1929 a chain reaction began that wouldnt be stopped until pre war production began for WWII.