Ending the depression through planned obsolescence

The author contends that mass unemployment results from a mismatch between abundant production and curtailed purchasing, and proposes a government-managed program of planned obsolescence to revive demand. Under the plan, manufacturers would assign fixed lifespans to goods at the time of production; items past their allotted life would be declared obsolete, collected by public agencies, and removed from use while owners received receipts or credits usable toward taxes or new purchases. The scheme is presented as a means to stimulate continuous replacement demand, create steady employment in manufacturing and construction, and provide a recurring revenue source for government, replacing reliance on uncertain consumer habits with coordinated planning.