In October, 1929, the New York Stock Market collapsed, which was then repeated in markets around the world, in what became the foremost financial crisis in history. However, it wasn't until late 1930 or early 1931 when the real damage began to happen. During that year (15 months), governments enacted lots of stupid laws meant to mollify the general population, (which was generally under-educated) with the thinking that by saving a job here at home, saves the country. Which of course it did NOT do. The unemployment numbers began to grow, and grow.....

People with bad agenda's led the fight for these laws in the 1930's and they are out front again in 2009, with their no-win strategies. Because much worse than the prolonged economic crisis that was fed by these bad policies, is the political upheavel that occurs in unstable regions. So it will be this year and into the next couple of years, as it was in the early 1930's, that bad politicians everywhere will try to protect their hides and mollify their scared and ignorant constituencies. The unemployment numbers continued to grow, and grow....

In times of fear and uncertainty, men (and women), do terrible things to each other, and unfortunately we are now in possession of this double edged sword that has NO good side. If politicians don't 'play' to these uneducated masses, then those masses rise up and throw off these very pols and install a fanatic dictator who promises to save the jobs at home, and purge those who caused their problems (See history of Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust 1932-1945, and history of rise of Japanese Militarists and conquest of China and the Pacific Rim 1930-1945).
If the pols do pass laws to protect workers and groups in their own areas, they not only give a greater purpose to the dictators mentioned above, but also suppress their own work force for longer periods by keeping prices artifically high and wages artifically low (see US history of the Great Depression, and the rise of labor unions 1930-1950). In 1937 the unemployment figure reached 25% of the workforce......

So here we are again, left with the damage to be repaired, and the confidence and jobs to be regained. The last time, it took a decade of being poor and a world war to pull the US out of a depression, and a horn-locking cold-war of nearly three decades before world trade truly started to flow again. Is this the near term future you want for your family ? Yet unemployment is growing to near 10%....

I don't pretend to have the answers, but I'm confident that in today's world, a replay will prove neither 'instant' nor necessarily provide us with the same winner. In the words of Edward R. Morrow: "Good Night, and Good Luck."

Next up: Who is really manipulating their currency ? ?