Do the Positive Aspects of the 1930s Outweigh the Negatives

Politicians and financial analysts are comparing Britain today to the doom and gloom years of the 1930s, the Great Depression, the Wall Street stock market crash of 1929. Mass unemployment, discontent, these are the dismal impressions that have been remembered from this period. Daily Mail Saturday December 31 2011.

Although these times are describedi n modern history as the dark days of poverty, hunger, bad health and bad environmental conditions, they have also been documented as good times for growth, prosperity, change and social improvement for a large proportion of Britain’s population. So, do the negative aspects of the 1930s outweigh the positive changes that were made during this period, was the 1930s really the ‘Devils Decade’ the “Hungry Thirties”? thesocialistway.blogspot.com/2009/04/hungry-thirties.html

In October 1929 the Stock Market crash in America signalled the start of the Great Depression. Whether or not this was the sole cause or to some degree something that just intensified the downturn is something that has not been upheld, however, it cannot be refuted; it was certainly a major influence. Historians have their own hypotheses on whether or not the 1930s reformed Britain. One thing that is indisputable is that this period in time had overwhelming ramifications in almost every country and affected not only the deprived but the affluent people of the lands to.

As the banking panic took hold in Europe, in 1931 the British labour government were under immense pressure to cut back on spending and slash benefits to the disadvantaged. The initial after-effects for Britain’s economy were severe. Work provided families with a wage which in turn determined the families quality of life. The repercussions of the first world war had by this time begun to make itself felt on the British Economy. The staple heavy industries were the hardest hit with the shipbuilding, steel works, coal, textiles all feeling the brunt. There was a big fall...