Comparing the Panic of 1907 and the Great Recession: Financial Contagion and Crisis Response

Introduction

The Panic of 1907 and the Great Recession of 2007-2009 were both significant financial crises that had profound impacts on the U.S. economy.

Similarities

A key similarity between the two events is the role of financial contagion and the subsequent loss of confidence in the banking system. In 1907, the failure of the Knickerbocker Trust Company, among others, led to widespread panic and a run on banks, as depositors feared for the safety of their money. Similarly, during the Great Recession, the collapse of major financial institutions, such as Lehman Brothers, and the near-collapse of others sparked fear and uncertainty in the financial markets. In both cases, the initial failures spread throughout the financial system, leading to a broader economic downturn.

Differences

A key difference between the two crises lies in the response of the federal government and the existence of regulatory frameworks. In 1907, there was no central bank in the United States to provide liquidity to the banking system in times of crisis. The intervention of private individuals, such as financier J.P. Morgan, helped stabilize the situation by organizing bailouts of banks and trust companies (Bruner and Carr).

Conversely, the Great Recession saw a significant government response, including the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to purchase distressed assets from banks and the Federal Reserve’s use of unconventional monetary policy tools, such as quantitative easing, to inject liquidity into the financial system. Moreover, the Great Recession led to the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, aimed at strengthening financial regulation and preventing future crises.

Conclusion

In summary, the Panic of 1907 and the Great Recession were characterized by a loss of confidence in the banking system and financial contagion. Still, they differed greatly in terms of government intervention and the presence of regulatory frameworks designed to manage and mitigate financial crises.

Work Cited

Bruner, Robert F., and Sean D. Carr. The Panic of 1907: Heralding a New Era of Finance, Capitalism, and Democracy. John Wiley and Sons, 2023.

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StudyCorgi. (2025, October 9). Comparing the Panic of 1907 and the Great Recession: Financial Contagion and Crisis Response. https://studycorgi.com/comparing-the-panic-of-1907-and-the-great-recession-financial-contagion-and-crisis-response/

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"Comparing the Panic of 1907 and the Great Recession: Financial Contagion and Crisis Response." StudyCorgi, 9 Oct. 2025, studycorgi.com/comparing-the-panic-of-1907-and-the-great-recession-financial-contagion-and-crisis-response/.

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StudyCorgi. (2025) 'Comparing the Panic of 1907 and the Great Recession: Financial Contagion and Crisis Response'. 9 October.

1. StudyCorgi. "Comparing the Panic of 1907 and the Great Recession: Financial Contagion and Crisis Response." October 9, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/comparing-the-panic-of-1907-and-the-great-recession-financial-contagion-and-crisis-response/.


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StudyCorgi. "Comparing the Panic of 1907 and the Great Recession: Financial Contagion and Crisis Response." October 9, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/comparing-the-panic-of-1907-and-the-great-recession-financial-contagion-and-crisis-response/.

References

StudyCorgi. 2025. "Comparing the Panic of 1907 and the Great Recession: Financial Contagion and Crisis Response." October 9, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/comparing-the-panic-of-1907-and-the-great-recession-financial-contagion-and-crisis-response/.

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