← Back to context

Comment by preuceian

6 hours ago

Did people already refer to it as the Great Depression in 1929?

I'd argue that even by early 1930, people probably wouldn't have seen it as significantly different from other short market downturns. It's only with the benefit of hindsight that we can see its impact was long lasting and worthy of being given a name.

No, but likely just some years later people were aware of the name:

> The term "The Great Depression" is most frequently attributed to British economist Lionel Robbins, whose 1934 book The Great Depression is credited with formalizing the phrase, though Hoover is widely credited with popularizing the term, informally referring to the downturn as a depression, with such uses as "Economic depression cannot be cured by legislative action or executive pronouncement" (December 1930, Message to Congress), and "I need not recount to you that the world is passing through a great depression" (1931). - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression#Naming

  • But 1931 is after 1930?

    Are you already aware of terms that will only be coined in 2027? But 2027 is so close, why shouldn't you already know?

    • > But 1931 is after 1930?

      Yeah, I think so too. Why?

      > Are you already aware of terms that will only be coined in 2027? But 2027 is so close, why shouldn't you already know?

      I think Wikipedia's information about the naming is likely only what could be sourced, and also the 1934 is about "formalization", and the 1930/1931 are more official messages that I guess there is still copies off, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume the word could been used in more informal contexts some year before that.

      2 replies →