Wednesday 20 March 2013

Canada's Independance During the Great Depression


     When the stock market crashed in 1929 U.S citizens lost everything, in one day 10 billion dolars were lost.  After that business closed, banks had no money, items were being repossesed, and 14 billion people were out of jobs.  All this trouble led to the Great Depression and the decade known as the "Dirty Thirties".  But it wasn't just the U.S who went through hard times, when their economy crippled it had an effect on most of the other countries around the world.

     If Canada claimed its full independance after world war one like they said why did troubles in the U.S affect Canadians?  Some arguements say that Canada was not independant because of their struggles due to the failing economy in the U.S, but the other countries that experienced the depression were thought of as very strong independant nations too.  Canada's best and most important trading partner was the U.S, when their economy dropped so did their trading indusrty... alot.  Which left Canada with no good trading partners and a major industry decrease.  Canada's economy depended greatly on their trades so when demands decreased and prices dropped the impact was huge.  All factories, businesses, and farmers, that produced anything for trade, had to lay off workers, decrease production and some businesses shut down all together, because Canada's plentiful resources were no longer in high demand. This left many people jobless and moneyless relying on churches and charities for everyday needs.  The lack of trade led to the lack of businesses the lack of jobs the lack of money and the decreased economy. 

     Europe also went through similar situations with their trade which led the depression to europe aswell. 
Europe was known as a very strong, independant, and important nation and it went through all the same struggles as Canada.  Europeans lost money, jobs and their economy just as Canada did.  So I do not think that Canada wasn't independant just beacuse they were affected by the crippling US, so were other Countries around the world who were very strong and important.  Each and every country relies on other countries for food, and goods so when one country has troubles other countries will suffer, however It in no way means they aren't independant.

2 comments:

  1. Abby, I like how you looked at the inter-connectedness of the world's economy during the 1930s. I agree with your assertion that Canada was still independent despite its close reliance on the United States. Perhaps a good solution would have been for Canada to forge stronger trade relationships with other nations.

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  2. I agree with Mrs.Le and think that if Canada had stronger trade relationships with other nations, the US depression would not have affected them as much. If Canada had other places to export their goods to, then the US not buying would not have an as big of affect that it did.

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