Could the world economy be headed for a depression in 2013?  As inconceivable as that may seem to a lot of people, the truth is that top economists and governmental authorities all over the globe say that the economic warning signs are there and that we need to start paying attention to them.  The two primary ingredients for a depression are debt and fear, and the reality is that we have both of them in abundance in the financial world today.  In response to the global financial meltdown of 2007 and 2008, governments around the world spent unprecedented amounts of money and got into a ton of debt.  All of that spending did help bail out the global banking system, but now that an increasing number of governments around the world are in need of bailouts themselves, what is going to happen?  We have already seen the fear that is generated when one small little nation like Greece even hints at defaulting.  When it becomes apparent that quite a few governments around the globe cannot handle their debt burdens, what kind of shockwave is that going to send through financial markets?

The truth is that we are facing the greatest sovereign debt crisis in modern history.  There is no way out of this financial mess that does not include a significant amount of economic pain.

When you add mountains of debt to paralyzing fear to strict austerity measures, what do you get? What you get is deflationary pressure and financial markets that seize up.

Of course some governments around the world could try to put these economic problems off for a while by printing and borrowing even more money, but we all know by now that only makes the long-term problems even worse.

For now, however, it seems as though most governments are opting for the austerity measures that the IMF seems determined to cram down the throats of everyone. So what will austerity measures mean for the global economy?

It looks like there is going to be a great deal of economic fear and a great deal of economic pain in 2013 and the years beyond that. So are we headed for "the depression of 2013"?

Assignment – Are We Headed for a Depression?

Working individually, look through today’s newspaper.

1 - Problems - Find articles about economic problems that the United States and other countries are facing today. Write minimum 300 word report on problems facing at least three different countries. These problems will not necessarily be the same for each country.
2 – Solutions - Using different articles, report on ways in which the United States and other countries are trying to solve the economic problems they are confronting. Write minimum 200 word report on these potential solutions facing at least three different countries. Again, these problems will not necessarily be the same for each country.
3 – Opinion - Write a 200 word, fact-based paper explaining why you do or why you do not think we are headed for a depression.