<P> The Great Depression began in the United States of America and quickly spread worldwide . It had severe effects in countries both rich and poor . Personal income, consumption, industrial output, tax revenue, profits and prices dropped, while international trade plunged by more than 50% . Unemployment in the U.S. rose to 25%, and in some countries rose as high as 33% . </P> <P> Cities all around the world were hit hard, especially those dependent on heavy industry . Construction was virtually halted in many countries . Farming and rural areas suffered as crop prices fell by approximately 60% . Facing plummeting demand with few alternate sources of jobs, areas dependent on primary sector industries such as grain farming, mining and logging, as well as construction, suffered the most . </P> <P> Most economies started to recover by 1933--34 . However, in the U.S. and some others the negative economic impact often lasted until the beginning of World War II, when war industries stimulated recovery . </P> <P> There is little agreement on what caused the Great Depression, and the topic has become highly politicized . At the time the great majority of economists around the world recommended the "orthodox" solution of cutting government spending and raising taxes . However, British economist John Maynard Keynes advocated large - scale government deficit spending to make up for the failure of private investment . No major nation adopted his policies in the 1930s . </P>

When did the great depression end in the us