...In 2008, the U.S. Economy experienced a drop in the stock market so fast and unexpected that it has been called the “Great Recession” (Santucci, 2011) and the “Crash of 2008” (Crash of 2008, 2010). Many things contributed to the recession, but the main cause was sub-prime lending by banks. Basically banks were lending money to people to buy homes that they couldn't afford. Due to the sub-prime mortgages going belly-up, along with the spiraling effects of bank failures such as the automotive industry needing to borrow billions of dollars, the U.S. Economy experienced is worst economic situations since the Great Depression. The causes of the recession date back many years, and as far back as 1980. This is when bank deregulation begins (Crash of 2008, 2010), which means less qualifications are needed to give out a loan. This recession could have been foreseen by some since in 1987, there was a stock market crash that occurred after the banking deregulation began (Crash of 2008, 2010). As we get closer to the Crash of 2008, we find that there are more and more subtle signs. One of the biggest early signs was in 2001 when the annual issue of US mortgage backed bonds increased from $500- $2,000 billion (Crash of 2008, 2010). Also, with the U.S. Backing more bonds at such a high rate and causing the interest rates at an all time low, from 2001 to the third quarter in 2006, the average house value was raised by 80% (Crash of 2008, 2010). After this time, the housing market experienced...
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...Economic Recession: Causes and Effects Student’s Name University Affiliation Economic Recession: Causes and Effects An economic recession is a slowdown in economic activities such as employment, distribution, production, real income and real GDP. The 2008-2009 economic recession was the longest in duration and deepest in contraction since the great depression of 1929-1932, (Roberts, 2009). Its causes were mainly preventable through a series of legislations and so it can be avoided in the future. This paper champions the thesis that the recent economic recession was largely avoidable, but the application of inappropriate economic strategies as presented below caused its occurrence, and has so far had overarching effects on the world. According to (Simpson, 2009), the recession was the direct and unavoidable result of the credit boom that preceded it. First, the credit boom was partly a result of low interest rates that lasted too long, facilitated by governments and their central banks. This resulted in the build-up of a credit bubble. Secondly, governments failed in the role of regulating the credit market. This encouraged borrowing of those who were least able to repay, resulting in an increase in demand of properties, (Bessler, Leatham and Zhang, 2006). Once demand had risen, property prices went up, attracting more investors into the market. Then the desire for profit was overtaken by the fear of loss as the market was flooded with...
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...Running head: CAUSE OF ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNETHICAL BUSINESS THAT LED TO IT Final Paper James Smith Hodges University GEB/PAD 6376 Dr. Forrer Week Due: 14 Due: 08/14/2011 Submitted: 08/10/2011 INTRODUCTION (Part 1) Why has the unemployment rate been above 12 percent for the last several years? Why have so many prior successful businesses closed in the last four years? Why have so many major corporations and publicly traded companies filed for bankruptcy? Why did a house that used to cost $200,000.00 just sell for $40,000.00? Why are foreclosures at the highest rate in US history? Maybe the question to ask is what has caused all of this? There are so many questions to be answered when it comes to the economic conditions in the United States. How did it get into the current condition? What were the signs of slipping into the crisis (economic indicators)? Whose actions were responsible? Was the responsible party also guilty of unethical behavior (big issue) or was it accidental. How long will it take for the economy to get back to being productive? In the past, America has been a very productive, successful country. There have been other recessions and a depression that have affected the U.S. but for some reason this current crisis was started by a completely different chain of events. What was the chain of events that triggered this...
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...activity as measured by GDP .The great economic depression of the US from 1929-1939 was one of the worst economic depressions in the world economy. The GDP per capita of the United States fell by a third (Federico 2005). A lot of economic activities went down and so many people suffered. Even though the depression affect the rest of the world, it has been called the great depression of the US because it’s believed that the US suffered more than any other nation and the causes are also attributed to have been started in America. Many things have been attributed to have caused the great depression among them are bank failure, Stock Market Crash of 1929, Reduction in Purchasing Across the Board, American Economic Policy with Europe, Drought Conditions but many people believe that it’s the American economic policies that really caused the depression and entirely blame the government for that. Some of the effects are increase in unemployment, collapse of banks and increase in the cost of living. On the other hand the economic recession of 2008 was longest recession since the world war two hence the term great recession. The recession lasted for 18 months from December 2007 to June 2009. Various things have been attributed to have cause the recession among them are irrational excitement in the housing market and low interest rates while some of the effects are increase in unemployment, increase in oil prices, decrease in consumption and investment. Recessions are declared by the national...
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...I. United States of America economic history In order to successfully move forward, we need to look to the past. The country’s economic history is like all history, meaning that it examines and observes the past activities of mankind (Fite 4). The most significant periods in the United States economic history are actually the three centuries before England settled in America. There were four changes happening in Western Europe that have greatly influenced America. Those changes were economic, political, religious, and intellectual (Fite 15). So why were these changes so important? They were the reasons that England decided to explore and expand in the western part of the world. The decision to expand trade and commerce was the most important advancement in the history of economics (Fite 15). From the time that the Virginia colonies were settled in 1609 up until 1890, farming was the most important aspect of the United States economy (Fite 30). Although manufactured products were worth more than products produced on a farm for the first time in 1889, farming was how the majority of Americans made a living (Fite 30). Despite the fact that agriculture dominated in these early years and the industrialization of the colonies was well under developed, “there was a high degree of specialization in the colonial economy” (Fite 63). For example, there were tobacco crops in the southern colonies which were crops that produced money, and in the northern colonies there was international...
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...The Great Depression Thomas Clay Forrest Economics 510 Professor Don Waldron February 6, 2011, 2011 The Great Depression The Great Depression was the deepest, longest and most widespread economic calamity of the twentieth century, and is the most common standard of how far things in the world’s economy can decline. Beginning with the First New Deal, which put into effect a host of relief and recovery measures designed to improve economic conditions and stimulate recovery, myriad other steps were taken to prevent another catastrophe of this magnitude from ever occurring again. Are these measure enough, though, and could the world ever experience another Great Depression? How do the events of the Great Depression era compare to recent economic downturns, including the current deep recession the world is experiencing? This essay will provide answers to these questions and provide an analysis of the causes and events that led to the Great Depression. It will also present the reasons why another Great Depression is unlikely to occur again. Debates vary as to the causes of the Great Depression, with many well-respected economists offering differing opinions to what they believe led to the historic event. British economist John Maynard Keynes felt that the Depression was driven by demand, and in his book the General Theory of Employment Interest and Money, Keynes argued that lower aggregate expenditures in the economy contributed to an enormous...
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.... The Great Depression was a period of unprecedented decline in economic activity. It is generally agreed to have occurred between 1929 and 1939. Although parts of the economy had begun to recover by 1936, high unemployment persisted until the Second World War. Background To Great Depression: * The 1920s witnessed an economic boom in the US (typified by Ford Motor cars, which made a car within the grasp of ordinary workers for the first time). Industrial output expanded very rapidly. * Sales were often promoted through buying on credit. However, by early 1929, the steam had gone out of the economy and output was beginning to fall. * The stock market had boomed to record levels. Price to earning ratios were above historical averages. * The US Agricultural sector had been in recession for many more years * The UK economy had been experiencing deflation and high unemployment for much of the 1920s. This was mainly due to the cost of the first world war and attempting to rejoin the Gold standard at a pre world war 1 rate. This meant Sterling was overvalued causing lower exports and slower growth. The US tried to help the UK stay in the gold standard. That meant inflating the US economy, which contributed to the credit boom of the 1920s. Causes of Great Depression Stock Market Crash of October 1929 During September and October a few firms posted disappointing results causing share prices to fall. On October 28th (Black Monday), the decline in prices turned...
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...2008 GREAT RECESSION COMPANIES WHO SURVIVED AND ALTERNATE METHODS TO EMPLOYEE LAYOFFS MGT 310-06 PROFESSOR CAS CASWELL BY DE’-LISA BARNES INTRODUCTION In 2008, the end of the first decade of the 21st century, the world market experienced the worst economic decline, known as the Great Recession. The overall impact was described as being the worst global recession since World War II. The precise magnitude and timing of the recession is widely debated and varied from country to country. The years leading up to the crisis were characterized by a highly excessive rise in asset prices, combined with a boom in economic demand, which inflicted a clear hardship for businesses and families. To further explain my research, this paper will focus on the following: What caused the great recession, Effects of the recent recession, Types of Businesses that survived the recession, Companies that hired during the recession, Companies that choose shared-worked programs over layoffs, Various states that participates in the work shared programs, and the Advantages of the work share program. WHAT CAUSED THE GREAT RECESSION The Great Recession actually began in December 2007, which is long before most people ever realized what was to soon transpire. Although there are many speculated factors or causes that led to the recession, the American people strongly believe that the following groups are responsible for the Great Recession of 2008: Government, Mortgage Companies, Banking...
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...Numerous economists and financial experts have labeled the financial crisis of 2008-2009, The Great Recession. Individuals and corporations alike were deeply affected by The Great Recession; either by losing their jobs or by the sudden stock sell off that occurred between 2008 and 2009. There was no question that something had to be done to prevent history from repeating itself. The only question was what to do. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), signed into law by President Barack Obama on July 21, 2010, was the proposed answer. The act was the work of Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), Chairman of the Financial Services Committee and Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. The purpose of the legislation is “to promote the financial stability of the United States by improving accountability and transparency in the financial system, to end “too big to fail,” to protect the American taxpayer by ending bailouts, to protect consumers from abusive financial services practices, and for other purposes” (The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, 2012). While the law officially made it easier for whistleblowers to alert authorities to fraud, the law itself can be seen as unprogressive, rather than progressive, or forward thinking. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, fraud can cost an average company five percent of their annual revenues, which makes the detection...
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...growth trend. These fluctuations occur around a long-term growth trend, and typically involve shifts over time between periods of relatively rapid economic growth (an expansion or boom), and periods of relative stagnation or decline (a contraction or recession).Business cycles are usually measured by considering the growth rate of real gross domestic product. Despite being termed cycles, these fluctuations in economic activity can prove unpredictable. History A BASIC ILLUSTRATION OF ECONOMY/BUSINESS CIRCLE. Theory The first systematic exposition of periodic economic crises, in opposition to the existing theory of economic equilibrium, was the 1819 Nouveaux Principes d'économie politique by Jean Charles Léonard de Sismondi. Prior to that point classical economics had either denied the existence of business cycles, blamed them on external factors, notably war, or only studied the long term. Sismondi found vindication in the Panic of 1825, which was the first unarguably international economic crisis, occurring in peacetime. Sismondi and his contemporary Robert Owen, who expressed similar but less systematic thoughts in 1817 Report to the Committee of the Association for the Relief of the Manufacturing Poor, both identified the cause of economic cycles as overproduction and underconsumption, caused in particular by wealth inequality. They advocated government...
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...THE CAUSES OF AMERICAN BUSINESS CYCLES: AN ESSAY IN ECONOMIC HISTORIOGRAPHY Peter Temin* This paper surveys American business cycles over the past century. Its task is to identify the causes of these cycles; other papers in this collection address the nature of policy responses to these causes. This paper can be seen as a test to discriminate between two views of the American economy. The first is expressed in a characteristically vivid statement by Dornbusch, who proclaimed recently: “None of the U.S. expansions of the past 40 years died in bed of old age; every one was murdered by the Federal Reserve” (Dornbusch 1997). This stark view can be contrasted with its opposite in the recent literature: “[N]one of the popular candidates for observable shocks robustly accounts for the bulk of business-cycle fluctuations in output” (Cochrane 1994, p. 358). I expand the time period to consider the past century, but it is easy to distinguish the past 40 years, that is, the period since World War II. A survey of business cycle causes over an entire century runs into several problems, of which three seem noteworthy. First, it is not at all clear what “cause” means in this context. Second, the Great Depression was such a large cycle that it cannot be seen as just another data point. Third, the survey relies on the existing literature on business cycles, which is why I have entitled it an essay in economic historiography. The paper proceeds by discussing each of these problems in turn, then...
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...Is Lack of Jobs in the United States the cause for recession since 2007? Is Lack of Jobs in the United States the cause for recession since 2007? As per John Fitzgerald Kennedy former president of The United States of America (1961-1963): “The American, by nature is optimistic. He is experimental, an inventor, and a builder who builds best when called upon to build greatly”. Although this great democratic country has had bleak periods in its economic history timeline because political, money, and wars through-out time. However, Americans recuperate their path back to brilliant and fascinating rich economy. It is not easy to do so, to get back into good economical shape, however it is feasible. In the 20th century, ending of the 1920’s a severe worldwide economic depression ever experienced in the industrialized force. Although the Great Depression commenced in the United States, it spread over to 15 countries to say the least. Causing gargantuan unemployment rates ever recorded in America and Europe. Moreover, it stroked partially Japan and Latin America. The devastating economy deficiency went on to reach its peak point until 1933, which marked the year that America started to recovery, but went on for almost 7 more years. Approximately lasting till 1939. After this awful period, another, but not as large compared to the Great Depression. In the early 1980’s the country experienced another recession causing yet again employment lack and GDP (gross domestic price) to rise...
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...FACING THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IN THE UNITED STATES: THE CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS Prepared for Kaplan University GB512 Business Communication Dr. Sue Pettine Prepared by Katherine M. Moore Student September 22, 2011 Contents Executive Summary……………………………………………………… 3 Introduction …………………………………………………………………. 3 Background……………………………………………………………………. 3 Potential Problems and Solutions ………………………………………………. 5 Conclusion and Recommendation ……………………………………………… 7 References ……………………………………………………………………. 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this research proposal is to take a look at the economic crisis in the United States. Our country is currently facing one of the worst crises since the Great Depression. Because of this financial crisis many people are facing many anxieties today. In order to work on a solution for this dilemma, we must first admit that we are in a dreadful predicament. This is not the time to disregard the economic setback. We must take a look at our financial situation not only in the United States but globally as well. When a nation is in a crisis there is a tendency to shift the responsibility on just one person. In this research proposal we will look at the economy as a whole. We will tackle the many hard questions that arise when a crisis hit. Some of the hard questions that we will...
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...Martinez Research Paper 1) The Exposition In Christopher Papagianis’s and Arpit Gupta’s article, “Making the Housing Market Work Again,” the two provide a descriptive summary of the causes of the housing market collapse in the United States which spurs the Great Recession of the late 2000s. The authors use the actions taken by two groups before, during, and after the recession, as tools to show what not to do when dealing with the housing industry. They then build off these mistakes and offer advice for the future to the two main players in their article, the borrowers and the policy makers. The article does a great job of identifying the problems and raising flags on mistakes made by all parties, but in my opinion the authors did not redirect the blame equally. I believe that the general public was not criticized enough for their part in the collapse, as illogical decisions, specifically with their reliance on credit, led large scale loss in the long term. Where the authors point fingers at borrowers and policy makers for allowing ill-fit people to take out a loan, I blame the people for taking out a loan that they should have known they could never afford in the first place, and explain how we can avoid these economic downturns in the future. The two begin their article by discussing the causes of the housing market crash. They pinpointed the main reason for the crash by discussing how a large number of loans being taken out for things such as homes, cars and boats, were being...
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...This assignment´s main objective is to clarify the Great Recession, it´s causes and consequences. Then, it will be highlighted the possible relation between the actual crisis and one(s) of the “killer apps” listed by Neil Fergunson, a British Historian known by his provocative and controversial views. Many economics acknowledge the Great Recession to be the most devastating global economic crisis since the Great Depression in the 30´s. This crisis is based on some factors, worth to be emphasized, such as easy credit conditions that encouraged high risk lending and borrowing practices; international trade imbalances; the housing bubbles; the fiscal policy choices by the governments, related to their revenues and expenses or the position taken by some federal reserve banks, especially on the bailing out process of financial institutions. The first cause we can appoint it’s related to the risk or actual bankruptcy of the major financial institutions globally, starting with the collapse of the “Lehman Brothers” (September 2008), a global financial services firm. Some of these kinds of institutions highly invested in risky securities, which depreciate almost their entire value, when United States and European housing bubbles began to deflate during the 2007-2009 period. Consequently, as share and housing prices decreased, a major panic was installed on the inter-bank loan market, resulting on the failure of many others large and well established investment and commercial...
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