What Jack Wrought

The country had struggled for months to stave off the initial signs of a depression, but there was no denying it anymore.  The economic safeguards were crumbling, one by one, and no amount of government intervention could stop it.  The impetus of the market crash was clear to everyone.  This was all Jack's fault.  That greedy cad had in one fell swoop brought the entire world economy to its knees.  A simply act of thievery resulted in the millions on the unemployment lines and thousands in government sponsored shelters.

Jack had good intentions.  When Jack stole the goose that lay the golden eggs, it was to make his mother rich so she wouldn't have to rely on their bean farm for sustenance.  But Jack was too generous with his new found wealth.  The goose lay eggs so large and at such a rate that he began to share; first with his friends, but soon with the entire village.  Soon, everyone owned their weight in gold. 

By the time the government discovered the problem, currency devaluation had already set in.  Being on the gold standard and with the excess supply of gold in the marketplace, inflation caused prices to soar to exorbitant amounts.  A loaf of bread, once half a shilling soon cost 150 gold pieces.  The government tried to reign in the production of gold pieces, but as such measures were put in place, the goose continued to lay eggs, thereby exasperating the problem.  The gold standard, the standard upon which the world economy was built was crumbling and it was taking many governments with it.

Yes, this was all Jack's fault; Jack and that God-forsaken gilded goose.