The Defining Moment poses the question directly: to what extent, if any, was the Depression a watershed period in the history of the American economy? This volume organizes twelve scholars' responses into four categories: fiscal and monetary policies, the economic expansion of government, the innovation and extension of social programs, and the changing international economy. The central focus across the chapters is the well-known alterations to national government during the 1930s.

The Defining Moment attempts to evaluate the significance of the past half-century to the American economy, while not omitting reference to the 1930s.