Different Groups Within Us Society Were Affected Equally by the Great Depression

...

Women, in comparison, struggled much less than that of farmers and workers, however they were adversely affected. The Great Depression meant, for a lot of women, that they would have to join the workforce, especially in instances where their husbands were unemployed. In a way, the Great Depression helped to solidify women’s role in the workforce, with many of them retaining their position after the recession had ended. Sometimes, men would have to travel in order to look for work, leaving women at home to care for children through the tough conditions. Whilst women had to deal with tough conditions, they weren’t as severe as those faced by workers and farmers, reinforcing how different groups were affected differently.

African-Americans had always been at a point of disadvantage in American society, however during the years of the Great Depression, conditions worsened and they were subject to much racial conflict, discrimination and victims of unemployment. The rates of unemployment for African-Americans were twice that of white-Americans, at 50%. Americans believed that migrants were taking the jobs the Americans deserved. Various African-American leaders rose during this time, fighting for the rights of this collective group and attempting to achieve racial equality. One of these leaders was A. Phillip Randolph whom, in 1937, fought for workers’ rights and higher wages. The impacts of the Great Depression hit this group particularly hard during this time, affecting them economically, socially and personally and reinforcing how the effects differed between groups in society.

The Upper class were the least affected group, not experiencing the harsh impact of the Great Depression like the lower and (sometimes) middle class did. Whilst some lost money in shares and investments, taxes were increased, and their businesses had a decrease in demand, most retained their wealth and lived a comfortable lifestyle during these years. This reinforces how the Great Depression did not affect all groups equally, and how the impacts were not always the same, and of the same severity.

The Great Depression had wide-reaching impacts upon various groups, however the impacts were not of equal severity. Workers, farmers and African-Americans were severely impacted by the Great Depression. Women were not as severely affected, and some advances in the feminist liberation movement were made. On the other hand, the upper class-men and many of the middle class were able to live a comfortable life during these times, representing the different impacts of the Great Depression upon groups of society.