American Woman Factory Worker (Katharine Yan)

Throughout Western Europe and Russia, extremism is becoming more and more popular. It has grown out of utter despair and hopelessness, due to the economic depression that has weakened several of these countries. Unemployment rates are skyrocketing, overproduction has diminished the demand of goods, and people everywhere are no longer able to support themselves. With the U.S. economy in this terrible condition, more people are beginning to question the effectiveness of democracy. Is it truly the best way to solve the problems of today, or is there an alternative that will lift us from this Great Depression? My fellow factory workers and I are fearful of losing our jobs, the only way in which we are able to support our families. Already, factories are reducing production to meet the lack of demand, and countless have been left unemployed. Some factories are even being shut down completely. I don't know what I will do if that happens, but this state of uncertainty, this lack of trust in my government is driving me to consider other options. Even the most radical ideas must be better than the way the government is handling this problem! Extremism can't be that bad if it will end this depression somehow. I feel that democracy has not done enough for the starving people all across the country, and that we must embrace the ideals of change associated with extremism.