Examining the reasons for one party being in power in Russia for several terms, despite the economicdepression that has existed since the fall of Communism and the installment of democracy.
Abstract This paper examines the factors that have contributed to the election of the same political party in Russia since the fall of Communism. Russia has been in an economicdepression since the fall of the Soviet Union, yet the same party is re-elected through democratic vote. The reasons for this puzzling outcome are discussed in this paper and identified as using democracy to purge the conservative communists of their rank, old elites regaining state control and loyalty of those counting the votes. Each factor is discussed in great detail along with its contribution and impact on the electoral outcome. This paper is ideal for anyone, from a Russian politics expert to a curious novice.
From the Paper "Mikhail Gorbachev, along with the Soviet leaders was the first to introduce semi competitive elections into the USSR and then later Russia. Although elections are a focal point of a democracy, they were not initiated by Gorbachev for this use. "The goal of these elections was to purge the conservative ranks of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) from their positions of power within state structures as a way to liberate these state institutions and thereby make them available as instruments by executing Gorbachev's economic reforms" (McFaul and Petrov, 24). The existing powers of the Soviet Union at the time of the introduction of democracy were all communists, who held high political ranks. In order for Gorbachev to implement his reformation of the economy, these political figures needed to be removed from their ranks, otherwise there would be great opposition to the changes planned. When these leaders were removed, the state organizations were free from communist control and could be used in any way that Gorbachev desired."
This paper studies the causes and effects of the great depression which took place in 1929 in the United States, describing the unemployment, hardship, hunger and despair of that time.
Abstract This paper studies the political, social, and economic factors that brought on the great depression in 1929 in the United States. It gives a historical overview of the situation before the outbreak of the great depression and the part that World War I played in causing it. The author feels that many people believe that the stock market crash of 1929 caused the great depression, but this is not true. He also finds that many people believed that President Roosevelt's New Deal ended the great depression, but this is also not completely factual. According to the author, historical facts show that the stock market crash was the beginning of the great depression but that political, social, and economic problems were the real causes. Also, historical evidence shows that The New Deal helped the recovery but that the United States' entry into World War II was the main reason that the great depression ended.
From the Paper "This is one of the most famous songs of The Great Depression, a time beginning in 1929 and lasting until 1940. This was a time of unemployment, hardship, hunger, and despair. Many people believe that the stock market crash of 1929 caused the Great Depression, but this is not true. Many people also believe that President Roosevelt's New Deal ended the Great Depression, but this is also not completely factual. The historical facts show that the stock market crash was the beginning of the Great Depression but that political, social, and economic problems were the real causes. Also, historical evidence shows that The New Deal helped the recovery but that the United States entering into World War II was the main reason that the Great Depression ended."
Abstract Paul Krugman's book, The Return of DepressionEconomics, examines the economies of seven different countries that produce the majority of the economic output of the world, and how each has been affected by major economic slumps throughout the world. This interesting yet very complicated book offers a tour of the major economic crises which have spread across the world in the 1990s, including those of East Asia, Brazil, Mexico, and Russia. Paul Krugman provides brief accounts of the devaluation of Thailand's baht currency, the "financial doomsday machine" created by hedge funds, and the "liquidity trap" of the Japanese economy. Krugman's light journalistic style is easy to read for the most part and is well-targeted at his intended audience. Many of the nine chapters stand very well on their own as slightly extended versions of what is known in the US as op-ed pieces. For example, the chapter on hedge funds contains as clear an explanation of the operation of such funds as a layman could get anywhere. It also contains a number of brief, enlightening and well-written stories under sub-headings like 'The Legend of George Soros' and 'The Madness of Prime Minister Mahathir', and concludes with 'The Panic of 1998' which outlines the demise of Long Term Capital Management. In other chapters there are equally succinct and fascinating stories concerning Mexico, Argentina, Thailand and so on. Some of these extracts ought to make very useful reading to stimulate discussion on undergraduate macro, international or development economics courses. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the major themes of Krugman's book.
This paper focuses on two major economic movements that took place in the U.S. during the Depression era between the years 1929-1941 and their impact on the American people and the economy.
Abstract This paper examines author Robert McElvaine's book "The Great Depression: America 1929-1941," which centers on two specific economic movements: Progressivism and the New Deal. Progressivism was, in effect, an expansive ideal about what the U.S. should be to its own citizens and to the impending globalization. The New Deal was a desirable strategy for most Americans to combat the effects of the Depression. This paper details the similarities of both movements which favored the ideas and ideals of American values. The writer also compares the present status of the U.S. government and economy to that of the depression era.
Table of Contents:
Progressivism
The New Deal
Progressivism and the New Deal: Comparisons and Differences
Works Cited
From the Paper "Both movements favored the ideas and ideals of some sort of American values. Just as the progressives movement was founded not only with both moral and economic values as guide posts, and saw World War I as "the last and greatest example of the progressive spirit of sacrifice, so the New Deal began with individuals having to (mostly gladly) sacrifice some of their individualism for government-run and controlled works and policies determined to avoid sinking further into an economic sinkhole. We can also see similarities in the fact that the values and the eventual legislation formed a trickle-down philosophy, from the upper middle and upper classes to benefit the less-fortunate. We have to remember that President Wilson as well as FDR were "patricians"- in the best sense of the word, and their aim was to protect the citizens of this nation from war and from economic disaster, even if it meant a sacrifice and even an attempt to undo the Constitutional balance of power."
Tags: history, economics, franklin, delano, roosevelt, depression, government
Abstract This paper examines the forces that led to the near-collapse of the capitalist system and, by doing this, we are able to ascertain what factors caused the economic collapse itself. Indeed, the economicdepression was caused by certain forces that had truly become out of control and they revealed the flaws within capitalism itself. At the same time, however, an examination of the cures of the depression can also tell us a significant amount about its causes, since both phenomena are intricately linked. By analyzing how Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal dealt with the depression, we are able to better gauge how the economic collapse could have been avoided in the first place.
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the economic situations in Britain and America during the Great Depression. Following a brief overview which highlights the timelines of the depression, comparisons between America and the United Kingdom are made in the areas of banking, the economy and the government's interventions. A conclusion section summarizes the findings. Includes charts and tables.
From the Paper "The Great Depression was an economic slump, in North America, Europe, and other industrialized areas of the world, that began in 1929 and lasted until about 1939 (Fearon, 1981). It was based partly on the British refusal to devalue the pound sterling, partly on the problems the European nations were facing following World War I, partly on the destruction of the system of world trade and partly on the United States economic boom of the 1920's, and partly because of the speculation in stocks which led to the stock market crash of October 1929 (Walton & Rockoff, 1998)."
Abstract The paper discusses how, in retracing the events that led to the Great Depression, it is evident that one of the primary causes was the Republican control of the federal government throughout the nineteen-twenties, which enabled big business, financiers and banking interests to abuse America's economic system. Millions of social and cultural conservatives supported corrupt state and federal politicians who had taken their side in the culture wars of this tumultuous decade and ignored the rampant greed and corruption in government, big business and financial circles. This angered millions of liberals and working class Americans, who had been slandered by conservatives as being immoral because they opposed Prohibition, supported religious tolerance and believed in labor rights.
Abstract This paper examines depression as stemming from the highly stressful, intensely competitive nature of modern society. It points out that the physical, mental, and social state of well-being of millions of people is being harmed because of the destructive aspects of the natural, social, built, and economic spheres in which they live. The paper particularly examines the problems surrounding the increasing use of anti-depressants to treat depression, such as dependence, abuse, the drugs' possible harmful side effects, and exploitation by drug companies. The paper concludes that too many people turn to "wonder drugs" for help when they cannot deal with the emotional and psychological stress induced by society.
From the Paper "In recent years, depression in young adults has been increasingly treated with prescription drug anti-depressants such as Prozac and Paxil. The increasing use of these prescription antidepressant drugs has several implications, for recent studies have shown that more than twenty percent of young adults in the general population have emotional problems and one-third of young adults attending psychiatric clinics suffer from depression. Just as troubling, depression in this age group is greatly under-diagnosed, which presents even more implications."
Abstract Analysis of the Great Depression of 1929-1939. Speculatin on causes as depicted in three books. Lack of government regulations on business, market speculators, Capitalist system. Government's role in overcoming the Depression. Social welfare initiatives. The New Deal programs of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Emergence of black voters & transfer of political loyalty from Republican to Democrat. Contends there is no satisfactory answer to why the Depression lasted as long as it did.
From the Paper "Three Views of the Great Depression in the U.S.
Paul Johnson, in his A History of the American People calls the Depression and its length as "mysterious". He is not the only one to try to figure out what happened and why and how, but what he begins his Depression era chapter with is: "What is puzzling about the events of the decade of 1929-39 is the continuing severity of the market falls and the length and obstinacy of the Depression" (Johnson, 1997, p. 727). While he explains that America, in the Twenties tended to let business run their own arrangements without much, if any, government regulation or impediments. American business was pro5tected by high tariff, instituted by pro-business Republican Presidents. So, what happened? The villain, Johnson implies, is inflation that was allowed to run wild. And, a surprising fact, the 1920s "growing"..."
Abstract The writer of this well-researched paper details the significance of the Great Depression on Adolf Hitler's rise to power. This paper examines the Kellog pact, which bound the economy of Germany which greatly suffered since America wanted recovery of the loans from Germany which were agreed under the Dewas Plan of 1924. Germany's post-WWI economy was beneficiary of foreign loans, particularly loans from the U.S. and on global trade that was founded on a system of loans and notes of credit. When America's global trade and commerce broke down, it also brought down the economy of Germany. This paper explores the effects of the depression in America on the German people, which resulted in extremism, as frantic inhabitants believed that the politicians had left them in the lurch and they were seeking an alternative to their economic difficulties. This paper details the impact of Hitler during this crucial period. The German citizens who gave their votes in favor of the Nazis were not limited to the jobless. German citizens desired to have a government that was able to grab the organization of banks and companies, to get their funds and distribute it evenly among the poverty stricken people. This in-depth paper discusses the people of Germany who looked forward to Nazism, as the moderate parties were frail, vulnerable and not in agreement about the future of Germany, unlike Hitler, who had a firm vision, which appealed to the citizens.
From the Paper "Hinderburg, in spite of his hatred for Hitler, willingly consented to his deal to be crowned Chancellor and Von Papen as the Vice Chancellor, as the Nazis seemed to be the sole well-supported right-wing party that could safeguard Germany from the assault of this Communist Revolution. On January 1933, Papen once again built a cabinet with Hitler as the Chancellor. Papen and other conservatives planned they could repress Hitler by pinning him down with the tasks of government and they would ride piggyback his remarkable popularity with a sizeable section of the voters. However, they were just not even close as regards Hitler's brutality and brilliance at sniffing the opportune moment to capture power. Hitler, who was in the fray for election, bagged thirteen and half million votes."
Abstract This paper studies the events that caused the Great Depression and considers whether there could ever be another similar economic downtown by using both the lessons of history and aggregate supply/aggregate demand analysis.
From the Paper "The Great Depression, which began in 1929, was an economic slump in North America, Europe, and other industrialized areas of the world that began in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. It was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world (Rothbard 13). Though the U.S. economy had gone into depression six months earlier, the Great Depression may be said to have begun with a catastrophic collapse of stock-market prices on the New York Stock Exchange in October 1929 (Rothbard 17). During the next three years stock prices in the United States continued to fall, until by late 1932 they had dropped to only about 20 percent of their value in 1929 (Bernanke 37).
Besides ruining many thousands of investors, this precipitous decline in the value of assets greatly strained banks and financial institutions, particularly those holding stocks in their portfolios. Many banks were consequently forced into insolvency and by 1933, 11,000 of the United States' 25,000 banks had failed. (Bernanke 41). The failure of so many banks, combined with a general and nationwide loss of confidence in the economy, led to much-reduced levels of spending and demand and hence of production, thus aggravating the downward spiral. The result was drastically falling output and drastically rising unemployment; by 1932, U.S. manufacturing output had fallen to 54 percent of its 1929 level, and unemployment had risen to between 12 and 15 million workers, or 25-30 percent of the work force (Bernanke 42). "
Abstract In this paper, the writer examines the causes of the Great Depression. US government policies in response to the crisis are discussed, including those of Herbert Hoover and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The role of the gold standard and the currency crisis is also analyzed. The final section of the paper deals with approaches used by FDR to resolve the depression, such as the New Deal. The New Deal and its long term effects on American economic and social policy are discussed. The author concludes that New Deal programs, policies, and ideologies changed American core values. What was once a nation characterized by libertarian ideals became a nation inextricably intertwined with the global market economy.
From the Paper "Speculation artificially inflated the US and global economy throughout the 1920s. Investors pumped up stock prices on borrowed funds, a short-sighted approach that would lead to an enormous production surplus. With too many consumer goods and not enough consumer purchasing power, almost all the key industries faced collapse including technology and agriculture. The prevailing economic doctrine presumed that all booms and busts were inevitable and that the crisis would subside on its own. However, the Great Depression forced economists and politicians to rethink the role of the market economy and global trade."
Abstract This paper examines how the causes of World War I and World War II were not one cataclysmic event but were a multitude of causes that basically derived from Nationalism and Imperialism. It shows how these two factors led to the turmoil in Europe and growing tensions and how the outbreak of World War II is an indirect link to the ending of World War I, which led to many years of chaos in Europe. It analyzes how the resulting economicdepressions were a cascade of many more economic issues that Europe and America still face today and how the most radical affect was the Cold War, a war that plagued fear upon the American population for forty five years.
From the Paper "The first cause of World War II was the intense anger over the Versailles Treaty. This Treaty was signed on June 28, 1919 and basically held Germany responsible for creating this world war. The Versailles Treaty ordered that Germany pay for all the damages that the Allies and their governments endured as a result of this war. Germany was then ordered to cut their army down to 100,000 soldiers, as well as their navy, and do away with their air-force. Germany was also angry that their territory had to be reduced as well. The territory of Alsace and Lorraine was ceded by France and certain sections of Prussia went to present day Poland. Germany felt that this treaty was "dictated peace" and they proceeded to refuse this treaty. In doing so, the future affects would be another war. "
Tags: cold, war, versailles, treaty, germany, economic, depression
Abstract This paper examines how the rise of Mussolini was welcomed by many Italians not because of the ideological appeal of Fascism, but because it seemed to offer practical solutions to the Bolshevik menace on the domestic front and the mutilated victory which resulted from a depressed international prestige. It discusses how, when the rhetoric of the regime became identified with a confused statement of ends, Italian policy became unpopular and eventually was rejected. It attempts to assess the success or failure of the Fascist government, by analysing the economic, political and social conditions inherited and the outcome of the policies adopted by Mussolini.
From the Paper "However, the effects on the Italian economy were far from beneficial. Suddenly, foreign buyers found Italian goods nearly twice as expensive, and it was not surprising that Italian export industries, particularly textiles, went into depression. Even the macro-industry Fiat was exporting fewer cars in the late 1930s than it had done in the early 1920s. The revaluation of the lire was supposed to have helped the Italian consumer because imports of foods and other products from abroad should have become cheaper. However, the Duce prevented this by placing high tariffs on many foreign imports. Therefore, the only winners in economic terms were those industries such as steel, armaments and ship building which needed large supplies of cheap tariff-free imported raw materials. However, Mussolini's economic policies had never been designed simply to increase the wealth of the country or the prosperity of the ordinary Italian, and this became very apparent by the mid 1930s, as he became increasingly preoccupied with foreign affairs, whilst the living standards and the general welfare of the economy suffered."
Abstract The paper discusses the downturn in real estate prices and compares the situation to that of the Great Depression. The paper looks at the lending market and the construction industry and predicts that there is a coming depression.
From the Paper "Many people who lived through the Great Depression or who have studied it are concerned about the real-estate economy as it appears today, stating that current conditions mirror those that occurred just prior to the Great Depression. . There has been a significant boom in prices, that allowed many to over-finance and overextend their debt, which many say will in turn create havoc when paper debt exceeds real value of real estate holdings."
Tags: Great, Depression, debt, credit, house, prices, construction, industry
