Social Classes and the Great Depression

Social Classes and the Great Depression

The Great Depression struck the United States in 1929, and devastated the country for 12 years (Potter). Filled with hardships and poverties, these 12 years seemed like a lifetime to most people, especially to the lower and middle class. American society during the 1930s was split into three main classes: Lower class, Middle class, and the Upper class. While the majority of the upper class continued to live lavishly, the lower class, consisting of mainly struggling laborers and almost all African Americans, definitely suffered the most. The Middle class was also heading down a dangerous path. Not being able to maintain their small fortunes, most were forced to lower levels of society. The effects of the Great Depression in the 1930s on the social classes in the south caused many people to move to the lower class.

The Lower class was the poorest and largest class of people during the 1930s (Babb). Americans in this class in the south were barely able to survive. In fact, some people were so poor that they had to wait for hours in bread lines and at soup kitchens just to get a meal. Farmers in the south especially had many economic problems during the 1930s. Many farmers had to relocate to other states to find work elsewhere. Most of them became part of the lower class during the depression because they were not able to make any money. In general, all citizens in the lower class were in the same or similar situation. This situation was poverty, and for some, near death. However, Even though the whites had it bad, the blacks had it worse. Almost all African Americans were in the Lower class (Potter). It was even harder for blacks to find work than it was for whites (Babb). This was mainly ...

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..., approximately 21,974 men and women held college degrees but were unable to find jobs. Due to the large number people falling to the lower class, the middle class was slowly becoming socially and politically insignificant. Constantly dealing with the possibility that their social class may disappear, the middle class suffered a harsh blow during this time.

The Great Depression shattered the U.S. in the 1930s, especially in the south. Almost everyone had to adjust to a new way of life during this time. The economic problems brought on by the depression had a major impact on the social class system in the south. The lower and middle classes were considerably affected the most by this dreadful time in American history. Overall, the effects of the Great Depression in the 1930s on the social classes in the south caused many people to move to the lower class.