The Great Depression (book)
Encyclopedia
The Great Depression is the title of a book written by Canadian author Pierre Berton
.
The period of time between the stock market
crash of 1929 and the outbreak of war
in 1939 had a terrible impact on the lives of all Canadians. The book, "The Great Depression" is a scalding indictment of the political leaders of the time, the police
, the law
and of big business
. While successive government
s at the Federal, Provincial and Municipal level squabbled over how to deal with the huge numbers of unemployed workers and who would pay for government works programs or “the dole”, tens of thousands of formerly middle class Canadians suffered in abject poverty
while drought
seared the western prairie
s and dust clouds blackened the sky. The entire decade became known in Canadian historical parlance as "the dirty thirties." At the nadir of the depression, half the wage earners nationwide were on some form of relief.
The book The Great Depression chronicles, through personal account and historical records, the events of the decade and the impact these events had on Canada and Canadian culture.
, an article about the event that inspired this book.
Pierre Berton
Pierre Francis de Marigny Berton, was a noted Canadian author of non-fiction, especially Canadiana and Canadian history, and was a well-known television personality and journalist....
.
The period of time between the stock market
Stock market
A stock market or equity market is a public entity for the trading of company stock and derivatives at an agreed price; these are securities listed on a stock exchange as well as those only traded privately.The size of the world stock market was estimated at about $36.6 trillion...
crash of 1929 and the outbreak of war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
in 1939 had a terrible impact on the lives of all Canadians. The book, "The Great Depression" is a scalding indictment of the political leaders of the time, the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, the law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and of big business
Big Business
Big business is a term used to describe large corporations, in either an individual or collective sense. The term first came into use in a symbolic sense subsequent to the American Civil War, particularly after 1880, in connection with the combination movement that began in American business at...
. While successive government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
s at the Federal, Provincial and Municipal level squabbled over how to deal with the huge numbers of unemployed workers and who would pay for government works programs or “the dole”, tens of thousands of formerly middle class Canadians suffered in abject poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
while drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
seared the western prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
s and dust clouds blackened the sky. The entire decade became known in Canadian historical parlance as "the dirty thirties." At the nadir of the depression, half the wage earners nationwide were on some form of relief.
The book The Great Depression chronicles, through personal account and historical records, the events of the decade and the impact these events had on Canada and Canadian culture.
See also
Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, an article about the event that inspired this book.