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Opinion

8 Historical Analogies That Help Explain the Madness of 2020

From the U.S. presidential elections of 1896 to the dot-com bubble to housing markets in 2006, these historical moments help us make sense of a truly WTF year.

By Nathaniel Whittemore
AccessTimeIconSep 4, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. UTC
Updated Sep 14, 2021 at 9:52 a.m. UTC
AccessTimeIconSep 4, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. UTCUpdated Sep 14, 2021 at 9:52 a.m. UTC
(Photo by MPI/Getty Images)
(Photo by MPI/Getty Images)
AccessTimeIconSep 4, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. UTCUpdated Sep 14, 2021 at 9:52 a.m. UTC

From the U.S. presidential elections of 1896 to the dot-com bubble to housing markets in 2006, these historical moments help us make sense of a truly WTF year.

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This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Bitstamp and Nexo.io.

Inspired by Michael Batnik’s “All Wrapped In One,” this episode examines eight moments from history that can help us make sense of one of the most chaotic years of our lives. 

  • Income inequality of the Gilded Age
  • The election of 1896
  • The pandemic of 1918
  • The economy of 1929
  • The social movements of the 1960s
  • The stock market of 1987
  • The speculation of 1999
  • The housing market of 2006

See also: The History, Present and Future of Central Banks, Feat. George Selgin

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