--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was something superficial in…" description: "\"There was something superficial in attributing anything so awful as the Great Depression to anything so insubstantial as speculation in common stocks.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/john-kenneth-galbraith-643_awful_there-was-something-superficial-in-attri_973057.jpg" --- # There was something superficial in attributing anything so… ![“There was something superficial in attributing anything so awful as the Great Depression to anything so insubstantial as speculation in common stocks.” quote by John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/john-kenneth-galbraith-643_awful_there-was-something-superficial-in-attri_973057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/john-kenneth-galbraith-643_awful_there-was-something-superficial-in-attri_973057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/john-kenneth-galbraith-643_awful_there-was-something-superficial-in-attri_973057.jpg) > “There was something superficial in attributing anything so awful as the Great Depression to anything so insubstantial as speculation in common stocks.” [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attributing the Great Depression solely to stock speculation oversimplifies complex economic causes. **In simple terms:** Depression caused by many factors, not just speculation. Key Takeaway Consider broader economic forces. Themes economics history causation Mood analytical critical Type educational historical When to use this quote - policy analysis - academic lectures - financial planning - investment strategy Key Concepts macroeconomics financial crises Questions to Reflect On - What other factors contributed to the Depression? - How do modern crises compare? A Different Perspective Focusing only on speculation ignores policy and structural issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attributing Awful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attributing-awful-1880512/) [Awful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awful/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Great depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-depression/) [Insubstantial Speculation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insubstantial-speculation-1880511/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Speculation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speculation/) [Superficial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superficial/) [Superficial Attributing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superficial-attributing-1880510/) ## Related quotes > [The years of the Great Depression were a superb time for economists because people not knowing what could be done or what should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/the-years-of-the-great-depression-were-a-superb-time-for-economists/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [ \[Franklin Delano\] Roosevelt was the central world figure in the two great disasters of this century - the Great Depression and World War II.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/franklin-delano-roosevelt-was-the-central-world-figure-in-the-two/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [No one was responsible for the great Wall Street crash. 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