A Socio-Economic Depression

Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: __________________________

What was so difficult about the Great Depression?

Socioeconomic status is the social standing or class of an individual or group. It is often measured as a
combination of education, income and occupation. Examinations of socioeconomic status often reveal
inequities in access to resources, plus issues related to privilege, power and control.

Review the profile below and work to rate them using the “sliding scales” for Socio-Economic inequality below each.

Henry the Hobo

I feel so lost, but I keep going. You know, it was hard living in New Toronto, and no one in my family could help
me, or themselves for that matter. The Depression has made many victims. I tried staying with my parents, but
they were struggling too much trying to feed my younger sister and brother. I left. I couldn’t contribute and
am old enough that I should be able to take care of myself. I left a girlfriend in the city too; how could I marry
her? I have nothing to offer! I didn’t have much to begin with, but it’s far worse in the 30s. So, now I’m riding
the rods across the country looking for work, and I’m so damned angry. The government has done nothing.
Those fat cats are still living the ritzy life. People in the towns I stop in have no jobs for hobos like me, but they
have no jobs for their own folks either. The government wants me in the relief camps?! Not if I can help it. The
government is useless; they offer us pointless work for pennies a day. The politicians do nothing. I follow the
hobo signs to survive, now. Some folks I meet are kind and as charitable as they can be, but most people just
tell me to get a job. I’ve tried; there are NONE! I’m willing to work! But they see the sad eyes of a broken
transient, and not those of the carefree young man I used to be. I’m better off on my own, aren’t I?

Poverty Wealth

Powerless Powerful

Disadvantage Privilege

Chaos Control

Few Resources Many Resources

Scarcity Abundance
 A Socio-Economic Depression
Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: __________________________

What was so difficult about the Great Depression?

Socioeconomic status is the social standing or class of an individual or group. It is often measured as a
combination of education, income and occupation. Examinations of socioeconomic status often reveal
inequities in access to resources, plus issues related to privilege, power and control.

Review the profile below and work to rate them using the “sliding scales” for Socio-Economic inequality below each.

Middle Class Maggie

I just can’t stop thinking about how great things were in the 1920s. Nowadays, the fun is gone; the thrill of a
night out or a new frock is a distant memory. We make do, and I’m thankful to pick up a few days typing work
to help my family. My husband, Jack, is working harder than ever at the grocery store. He had to lay off all the
employees, good people from the neighbourhood who now look at me with anger and disappointment in their
eyes. We spend most of our time in the store now, us and the kids. We gave up the house and live in the
apartment upstairs. Things are tight, but we are fed and doing our best. My cousin’s kids came for a few weeks
while their parents tried to pay some bills. Jack says, “the kids eat first”, so we go hungry. And we have to be
careful not to add any more mouths to feed to our table. We lost on the stock market too, but people have to
eat, so the grocery store has kept us afloat. It’s not safe, with so many people hungry we’ve had break-ins.
People want a hand-out from us, but we’re just getting by. If we were going to sell anything in the grocery
store, we had to lower the prices. People with money are getting a lot for very little. We spend as little as we
can, just to be sure. And those without any money, what do they get?

Poverty Wealth

Powerless Powerful

Disadvantage Privilege

Chaos Control

Few Resources Many Resources

Scarcity Abundance
 A Socio-Economic Depression
Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: __________________________

What was so difficult about the Great Depression?

Socioeconomic status is the social standing or class of an individual or group. It is often measured as a
combination of education, income and occupation. Examinations of socioeconomic status often reveal
inequities in access to resources, plus issues related to privilege, power and control.

Review the profile below and work to rate them using the “sliding scales” for Socio-Economic inequality below each.

Still Rich Richard

I was heavily invested in the Stock Market, but I didn’t lose everything like some other poor joes. I figured it’d
make me even more money, so we could keep living the high life and still have something for the kids to
inherit. And then it was gone. I have money in lots of industries, and though I lost a lot, I managed to keep the
house in Montreal, and Toronto, and the summer house in Collingwood. My wife and children don’t really
know how close we came to financial ruin. All my market investments are worth nothing now, maybe they’ll
re-bound if I hang onto them. Some of the stocks belong to companies whose doors have closed completely to
bankruptcy. Thankfully, I had enough liquid cash in other places to sustain our lifestyle. I closed a few
factories, a paper mill, and a chain of automobile part plants. But the rest is still intact. I noticed how cheap
things have become, that’s helping to keep us living in the luxury we enjoyed before the crash. I see people
struggling, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to do for them. A man’s worth is in what he earns and owns
for himself. Those guys are on their own.

Poverty Wealth

Powerless Powerful

Disadvantage Privilege

Chaos Control

Few Resources Many Resources

Scarcity Abundance
 A Socio-Economic Depression
Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: __________________________

What was so difficult about the Great Depression?

Socioeconomic status is the social standing or class of an individual or group. It is often measured as a
combination of education, income and occupation. Examinations of socioeconomic status often reveal
inequities in access to resources, plus issues related to privilege, power and control.

Review the profile below and work to rate them using the “sliding scales” for Socio-Economic inequality below each.

Lost it Louis
It’s gone – but I had money once, you know. I had a beautiful car; a Rolls-Royce Phantom that I shipped from
overseas. People would see me and my family in that car and think we were really something. We inspired
them to risk and reach for greater wealth for themselves – at whatever cost. I’m not like those people. Sure,
we’re all broke, but I am still better. I can’t just go down to the line-up for hand-outs right? Am I expected to
ask the government to support my family now? To go on the Dole? To line up at the Relief Office and ask for a
handout? How am I supposed to show my face in the community? They all know my face, and we have
nowhere to go. The house is gone, we sold off the furniture, cars, and anything of value for a song. I think my
wife is hiding some of the jewelry in case of emergency, and I can’t blame her. I’ve failed them completely. I
can’t even keep a roof over our heads. We eat with the vagrants in the soup kitchen; my share goes to the
little ones. I have no skills to offer in the factories. Our money was in the stocks, and when they went bust, so
did we. How could I have been such a fool? I have no idea where our lives will take us now.

Poverty Wealth

Powerless Powerful

Disadvantage Privilege

Chaos Control

Few Resources Many Resources

Scarcity Abundance