Capacity for Human Suffering

Then
"So long as business activity goes on," Albert Wiggin, chairman of Chase National Bank, told a Senate committee in 1931, "we are bound to have conditions of crisis once in so often." The committee chairman, Robert M. La Follette, Jr., then asked Wiggin if he thought "the capacity for human suffering is unlimited." "I think so," the banker replied. (McElvaine)

Now
From Democracy to Kleptocracy

Chamber of Commerce

Then
Irving Stone, the writer, . . . declar[ed] that Calvin Coolidge had transferred "the seat of power from the White House across Pennsylvania Avenue to the United States Chamber of Commerce." (Ellis)

Now
U.S. Chamber of Commerce aims to spend $75M on midterm elections
US Chamber of Commerce under fire for campaign finance

Burden of Taxation

Then
Pierre S. du Pont, president of E. I. du Pont
de Nemours & Co., was-for understandable reasons-of the opinion that the rich should not bear the burden of taxation. Taxes, du Pont reasoned, ought to be paid by the working class, not the "productive" class (which he defined as large employers).(McElvaine)

Now
Negative Job Growth for 11 Years

Less Pollution

Then
Fewer pedestrians were to be seen on the streets since many men did not go to work and women shopped less frequently; for lack of warm clothing and fuel, many people stayed in bed most of the day during winter. The air became cleaner over industrial cities, for there was less smoke from factory chimneys. (Ellis)

Now
Will Economic Collapse Save Us From Climate Catastrophe?

Child Labor

Then
By 1929 the United States stood with two underdeveloped countries, China and India, as the only major nations allowing women and children to work at night.(McElvaine)

Now
GOP Set to Roll Back Child Labor Laws
GOP Set to Roll Back Child Labor Laws

Fundamentally Sound

Then
As the decline degenerated into the Crash, a wide array of leaders repeated phrases containing the words "fundamentally sound." (McElvaine)

Now
Disaster Not Averted

Community Oriented Values

Then
The economic collapse that started in 1929 obliged people who had begun to accept the new values of unlimited consumption and extreme individualism to take another look at those beliefs in comparison with the more traditional, community-oriented values that had existed in earlier times. (McElvaine)

Now
Rise of Commons Transforms Rust Belt City, in 2035