Nearly Half of Americans Believe Another Great Depression Is Likely

Despite rosy financial forecasts made by economists this spring, our fears that the nation is about to sink into another depression are reaching depressing extremes. A new CNN poll reveals that nearly half of Americans believe a 1930s-scale depression is possible within the next 12 months. A whopping 19% of Americans believe it's "very likely" -- the most since the economy tanked in the fall of 2008. An additional 29% said a depression is "somewhat likely." If we use the original Great Depression as a model, that means many of us are pondering 25% unemployment and rampant homelessness.

The 1,015 people interviewed for the CNN poll hadn't even seen Thursday's unemployment report, which indicated that initial jobless claims had surpassed 400,000 for the ninth straight week.

The good news is, well, we can take a breather until the next poll.

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Exploring the Great Depression Through a New Lens

The Library of Congress recently released over 1,600 color photos of the Great Depression. The pictures, which were taken during the final years of the Depression, offer a fresh perspective on one of the darkest periods in American history.

Library of Congress

Paul Spinelli, MLB / Getty Images