Purging the rottenness--Recession

clipped from krugman.blogs.nytimes.com Robert Samuelson, Recessions also have often-overlooked benefits. They dampen inflation. In weak markets, companies can’t easily raise prices or workers’ wages. Similarly, recessions punish reckless financial speculation and poor corporate investments. Bad bets don’t pay off. These disciplining effects contribute to the economy’s long-term strength, but it seems coldhearted to say so because the initial impact is hurtful. Andrew Mellon The ‘leave-it-alone liquidationists’ felt that government must keep its hands off and let the slump liquidate itself. Mr. Mellon had only one formula: ‘Liquidate labor, liquidate stocks, liquidate the farmers, liquidate real estate’.He held that even panic was not altogether a bad thing. He said: ‘It will purge the rottenness out of the system. High costs of living and high living will come down. People will work harder, live a more moral life. Values will be adjusted, and enterprising people will pick up the wrecks from less competent people’