The great depression in the early 1930s (1929-1935) was the most profound global economic crisis in the 20th century. It affected the whole western world, including New Zealand. It was the Great Depression of the 1930s that prompted the introduction of new initiatives in New Zealand's social security system. The Great Depression exposed the shortcomings of the national security and private assistance system, resulting in more people relying on charitable assistance, and the people hope that the government can make a difference. The Liberal government and the Labour government first responded and took a series of measures to provide security for the people, which finally promoted the promulgation of the social security act of 1938 <<