Question
How was the use of machines a factor in causing the Great Depression?
Machines replaced workers in factories, causing people to lose their jobs.
Machines were too expensive to install and maintain in the factories.
Machines were too large for most factories, resulting in a building boom.
Machines replaced workers in factories, causing people to lose their jobs.
Machines were too expensive to install and maintain in the factories.
Machines were too large for most factories, resulting in a building boom.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The use of machines was a factor in causing the Great Depression primarily because machines replaced workers in factories, leading to widespread unemployment. As factories increasingly adopted mechanization to improve efficiency and reduce labor costs, many workers found themselves laid off or unable to find jobs. This loss of income not only hurt individual families but also reduced overall consumer spending, which further weakened the economy.
While the installation and maintenance costs of machines were considerations in some industries, the primary impact was the displacement of human workers, contributing to the economic hardships that characterized the era. The notion that machines were too large for most factories resulting in a building boom is less relevant to the causes of the Depression itself. The key issue was the resulting unemployment and decreased purchasing power following the mechanization of production processes.
While the installation and maintenance costs of machines were considerations in some industries, the primary impact was the displacement of human workers, contributing to the economic hardships that characterized the era. The notion that machines were too large for most factories resulting in a building boom is less relevant to the causes of the Depression itself. The key issue was the resulting unemployment and decreased purchasing power following the mechanization of production processes.