What has been the impact of the Great Depression?
The Great Depression had many sorts of impacts. I would say that its greatest impact in the United States was to increase the size and scope of government. I think this has been the most lasting impact. Before the Depression, the federal government had very little role in the economy and in providing any sort of a “safety net” to people. This changed dramatically with the New Deal that was used to try to end the Depression. The New Deal had the national government get involved in the economy in all sorts of ways that it never had before. This involvement has continued to the present day.
