Differences between a possible new Great Depression and the original Great Depression

Can you compare and contrast what a possible new Great Depression would look like compared to the Great Depression of the 1930's. I read alot about a new Great Depression looming and I would just like to know how this one would be different or the same, and would it be worse or not as bad?

Sorry I just want to give this a *bump* I would really like to hear what people think about this subject because it worries and interests me.

I think it would probably be worse. Atleast in the 30's, most people still had wood burners with which to heat their home, gardens with which to grow atleast some food, and above all, a better sense of community.

Sadly, today, it is almost impossible to have a wood burning stove in the US. Insurance companies have implemented such outrageous fees that it makes it literally unaffordable to own one. In certain cases, some insurance companies will just drop a person if you want to own one. They flat out won't cover it.

In the 30's, most of the tragedy that occured happened in the major urban areas where people did not have access to home gardens, livestock, etc. Because of this, and the early rushes on foodstocks, food was soon scarce (from what I have read). In the rural areas however, the affect was far less as people at that time were far more self-sustained. If you contrast that with now, 80-90 percent of our population live in urban areas or suburbs of urban sprawl, compared with (a guess of) about 50 percent or less lived in urban areas in the 30's.

And as for a better sense of community. I believe there would be much more hoarding and less flat out helping of one another during a crisis such as the one mentioned. I may be wrong, but that is the impression I get.

Prior to the GD-I people put 50% down on their homes and a larger percentage were able to live off the land. The cushion was church and neighborly support, to harvest off the land, and soup kitchens.

Today the majority own only 10% of their homes and nearly everyone depends on the commercial/financial system or the government. The only cushion we have now, is currency printing and taxation of those still working. Far fewer have tight church or neighborhood support, or the skills or property to live off the land long term.

I wanted to contribute my two cents to this thread...

I think we all fear in a future Great Depression, scenes and images that we saw from the Depression in the 30s. People living in Shanty Town shacks, People waiting in line for soup kitchens wrapped around the block, and people with signs on every street corner saying that they will work for food and shelter.

But- this is already happening, but 21st century style.

Shanty Towns and Shacks of the 30s have given way to Tent Cities sprawled across great metropolitian areas.

People waiting in line for soup kitchens has been replaced by government funded Welfare, Food Stamps, and Unemployment Benefits.

Signs on every street corner has been replaced by pleas for help on the internet, and in its most basic form, applications at the Charity office of ever city, with people begging for assistance to keep their electricity or gas on.

Things are that bad now, and could get alot worse!

My biggest worry about the "new depression" involves nutrition. At least back then the food in the food lines was real food. Have you seen the type of food given at food banks of today? It is horrendous. It's been at least twenty years since anyone in my area of the country have gotten "government cheese".

There's almost no protein in the food banks where I live...it's mostly fortified noodles, bad quality cooking oil occasionally, canned tomatoes and everything in these food boxes is made of genetically modified grains and much of it being given away because it is too poor quality to sell. I think many poor people in the USA are already very vitamin deficient/unbalanced and under-nourished even if they are fat.

My biggest worry ?

Only a decade was enough to create a force of people to die in a war for some of them to get filty rich.

Not saying it caused the war.

Only that hungry poor people more easy can be prepared for it. In Gemany it got the entire nation on war mode.

Today millions of Americans depend on perscription medicines to live a normal life. I worry about the lack of medicine and or the ability to buy it. Someone who depends on insulin or a blood pressure pill will die because they lack basic meds. This is a big concern for me, millions dieing within weeks of a great collapse because they are dependant on perscription drugs.