“Economic factors were more important than political factors in causing the Great Depression.” Discuss with reference to one country of the Americas.

The question requires that candidates, with reference to one country of the Americas, offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that economic factors were more important than political factors in causing the Great Depression. Candidates may offer equal coverage of political and economic causes, or they may prioritize their evaluation of either. For the US, candidates may refer to the laissez-faire policies and high tariffs of the 1920s as political factors; while the impact of Wall Street speculation, economic disparity and surplus agricultural production may be argued as economic causes. For Canada, candidates might apply environmental factors, the drop in world commodity prices and the impact of US markets as economic causes; while acknowledging the lack of intervention as a political cause. For countries in Latin America, candidates might emphasize the impact of US and British trade policies or their own export-based economic models. Other relevant factors may be addressed, for example the limited extent of economic decline in Argentina, but with a focus on the issue in the question. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates, with reference to one country of the Americas, offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that economic factors were more important than political factors in causing the Great Depression. This was quite popular and usually the United States was chosen as the country to discuss. Most argued for the primacy of economic factors and provided relevant support. However, the majority of responses did not substantially engage with the question's demands as to the role of political causes, thus greatly weakening the response.