New Deal Book

There were lots of details in the book, a bit too much for my taste. Perhaps an economist or a historian of the 1930s might find it fascinating. Choosing to read this book at this time, was odd to say the least; because, the world is in a global pandemic and I am in day 24 of shelter in place. We have at least 3 weeks left. Anyway, it is just disturbing to read how greed and selfish behavior by those in power continue to perpetuate opportunity disparities in our society. Some of the challenges and subsequent decisions, again by those in power, during the Depression Years exist today. The concept that a "maldistribution" of income or wealth limits consumer purchasing power to describe what went wrong with the economy and that a redistribution of said wealth was the only remedy to bring back economic recovery, sounds all too familiar. And corporations such as the auto industry or Big Four tobacco, back in the day, controlled government policy then too. "The consequence of business domination of the code-drafting process was that National Recovery Administration codes did little to stimulate mass purchasing power or increase employment." (p.87) Wouldn't ya know it, on April 2, the Washington Post has an article titled "Borrow from the New Deal: Create a COVID-19 Recovery Corp". The book concludes with a section: Unanticipated Consequences. It is a good summary. Seems we could learn and avoid many of these; however, not while those in power are corrupt or selfish or greedy...