BackStory with the American History Guys » capitalism http://backstoryradio.org VFH Radio at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:40:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Public radio that explores the historical context of todays news. BackStory with the American History Guys no BackStory with the American History Guys vafh-web@virginia.edu vafh-web@virginia.edu (BackStory with the American History Guys) Copyright Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, All rights reserved. VFH Radio at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities history, ed ayers, brian baloah, peter onuf, vfh, humanities, BackStory with the American History Guys » capitalism http://backstory.vfhblogs.org/files/powerpress/backstory_144.jpg http://backstoryradio.org Panic!: A History of Financial Crisis http://backstoryradio.org/panic-a-history-of-financial-crisis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=panic-a-history-of-financial-crisis http://backstoryradio.org/panic-a-history-of-financial-crisis/#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:00:55 +0000 cm6ay http://www.backstoryradio.org/?p=211 Speculation…deregulation…crash…bailout. Sound familiar? Probably. Sound modern? It shouldn’t. Financial panics have occurred regularly throughout American history, and each time we were left holding the bag when the bottom fell out of the market and banks called in their debts. Why do we think we’ll ever beat the business cycle? On this week’s show, economic historian Michael Bernstein says you can’t have the boom without the bust. Then historian Scott Nelson outlines the eerie similarities between 1873 and 2008, and explains how Christian fundamentalism is rooted in financial collapse.


Show Highlights:

  • Boom & Bust — Michael Bernstein explains the difference between the Great Depression and the myriad financial panics of the 19th century, as well as the amnesia that ignores the realities of the business cycle.
  • Glorious Riches — Scott Nelson outlines the eerie similarities between 1873 and 2008, and explains how Christian fundamentalism is rooted in financial collapse.

Related Links

  • Learn more about panics and depressions before 1929.
  • Experience déjà vu all over again with Scott Nelson’s description of the 1873 Panic.
  • Read the proto-fundamentalist sermons of Dwight Moody.
  • Browse a collection of current articles about the history of panics.
  • Find out about the origins of our abstract economic system.
]]> http://backstoryradio.org/panic-a-history-of-financial-crisis/feed/ 13 capitalism,economic history,economy,great depression,religion,religious history Deregulation...Crash...Recession...Bailout. Sound familiar? Probably. Sound modern? It shouldn't. So how have we responded to financial crises in the past? And why do people think we’ll ever break free from this cycle? (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2008/10/panic.jpg)Speculation...deregulation...crash...bailout. Sound familiar? Probably. Sound modern? It shouldn’t. Financial panics have occurred regularly throughout American history, and each time we were left holding the bag when the bottom fell out of the market and banks called in their debts. Why do we think we'll ever beat the business cycle? On this week's show, economic historian Michael Bernstein says you can’t have the boom without the bust. Then historian Scott Nelson outlines the eerie similarities between 1873 and 2008, and explains how Christian fundamentalism is rooted in financial collapse. Show Highlights: * Boom & Bust -- Michael Bernstein explains the difference between the Great Depression and the myriad financial panics of the 19th century, as well as the amnesia that ignores the realities of the business cycle. * Glorious Riches -- Scott Nelson outlines the eerie similarities between 1873 and 2008, and explains how Christian fundamentalism is rooted in financial collapse. Related Links * Learn (http://www.thehistorybox.com/ny_city/panics/panics_article1a.htm) more about panics and depressions before 1929. * Experience (http://chronicle.com/article/The-Real-Great-Depression/23394/) déjà vu all over again with Scott Nelson's description of the 1873 Panic. * Read (http://books.google.com/books?id=8TEYAAAAYAAJ) the proto-fundamentalist sermons of Dwight Moody. * Browse (http://hnn.us/articles/54603.html) a collection of current articles about the history of panics. * Find out (http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/12/banks200812) about the origins of our abstract economic system. BackStory with the American History Guys no 53:00 I Owe, I Owe: Debt in America http://backstoryradio.org/i-owe-i-owe-debt-in-america/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=i-owe-i-owe-debt-in-america http://backstoryradio.org/i-owe-i-owe-debt-in-america/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:30:35 +0000 VFHwebdev http://www.virginiafoundation.org/vfhradio/backstory/wordpress_2_6_2/?p=158

It seems like everyone owes money these days. But two hundred years ago, debt was considered not simply an economic failing, but a moral one. It could even land you in prison! In this hour, we look at how debt became the American way of life. Economic historian Louis Hyman argues that you and I aren’t to blame for our financial straits. We also hear from Thomas Jefferson, who, thanks to poor planning and a penchant for French furniture, died over $100,000 in the hole.


Show Highlights

(Not so) Personal Debt
Louis Hyman talks about the structural changes that led to record levels of personal debt in the late 20th century. It’s not that Americans are more willing to go into debt than they used to be, he says, but rather that they are no longer able to pay that debt off.


Related Links

]]> http://backstoryradio.org/i-owe-i-owe-debt-in-america/feed/ 0 american identity,capitalism,debt,economic history,economy,financial crisis,religion It seems like everyone owes money these days. But two hundred years ago, debt was considered not simply an economic failing, but a moral one. It could even land you in prison! In this hour, we look at how debt became the American way of life. (http://backstoryradio.org/files//2008/10/doing-finances2.jpg) It seems like everyone owes money these days. But two hundred years ago, debt was considered not simply an economic failing, but a moral one. It could even land you in prison! In this hour, we look at how debt became the American way of life. Economic historian Louis Hyman argues that you and I aren’t to blame for our financial straits. We also hear from Thomas Jefferson, who, thanks to poor planning and a penchant for French furniture, died over $100,000 in the hole. Show Highlights (Not so) Personal Debt (http://www.backstoryradio.org/2009/05/not-so-personal-debt/) Louis Hyman talks about the structural changes that led to record levels of personal debt in the late 20th century. It’s not that Americans are more willing to go into debt than they used to be, he says, but rather that they are no longer able to pay that debt off. Related Links * Learn more from PBS about the credit card (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/credit/) * Read a share cropper’s (http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6377) description of work after the Civil War * Check out a financial history (http://financehistoryandpolicy.blogspot.com/) blog * Thomas Jefferson (http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/Foundation/journal/Winter10/jefferson.cfm) in debt BackStory with the American History Guys no 54:16 I Owe, I Owe: Debt in America http://backstoryradio.org/i-owe-i-owea-history-of-debt-in-america/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=i-owe-i-owea-history-of-debt-in-america http://backstoryradio.org/i-owe-i-owea-history-of-debt-in-america/#comments Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:00:59 +0000 VFHwebdev http://www.backstoryradio.org?p=44 debt062108.jpg
It seems like everyone owes money these days. But two hundred years ago, debt was considered not simply an economic failing, but a moral one. It could even land you in prison! In this hour, we look at how debt became the American way of life. Economic historian Louis Hyman argues that you and I aren’t to blame for our financial straits. We also hear from Thomas Jefferson, who, thanks to poor planning and a penchant for French furniture, died over $100,000 in the hole.

Related Links

Learn more from PBS about the credit card

Read a share cropper’s description of work after the Civil War

Check out a financial history blog

]]> http://backstoryradio.org/i-owe-i-owea-history-of-debt-in-america/feed/ 2 american identity,capitalism,debt,economic history,economy,financial crisis,religion It seems like everyone owes money these days. But two hundred years ago, debt was considered not simply an economic failing, but a moral one. It could even land you in prison! In this hour, we look at how debt became the American way of life. (http://backstoryradio.org/files/2008/06/debt062108.jpg) It seems like everyone owes money these days. But two hundred years ago, debt was considered not simply an economic failing, but a moral one. It could even land you in prison! In this hour, we look at how debt became the American way of life. Economic historian Louis Hyman argues that you and I aren't to blame for our financial straits. We also hear from Thomas Jefferson, who, thanks to poor planning and a penchant for French furniture, died over $100,000 in the hole. Related Links Learn more from PBS about the credit card (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/credit/) Read a share cropper's (http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6377) description of work after the Civil War Check out a financial history (http://financehistoryandpolicy.blogspot.com/) blog BackStory with the American History Guys no 53:00