Chapter 34, Shift the Crisis

After the economic crisis erupted, the landmines Franz had buried exploded, leading to a multitude of unfinished projects across the region, while the Vienna Government scrambled to clean up the mess.

There was no escaping it—the destructive power of the economic crisis was far too strong. As the first global economic downturn, its severity far exceeded that of any previous crises.

In 1857 alone, over five thousand businesses in the United States went bankrupt, with the stock market slashed in half. Certain industries suffering severe overcapacity saw stock prices plummet by ninety percent.

European nations didn't fare much better, though they were affected by the economic crisis somewhat later, giving them time to respond.

Unfortunately, in this era, there was no concept of government intervention in the economy. Everyone just waited for the crisis to hit, inevitably incurring losses.