Latest figures show that 17, 800 youngsters are in government shelters, an unthinkable phenomenon in the days when prosperity seemed assured.

CNN: CHILDREN OF THE CRISIS

And there have been periods of economic transformation and upheaval when prosperity and even basic financial security have eluded far too many citizens.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Addresses Business and Tourism Leaders

It was preceded by the so-called New Era, a time of low unemployment when general prosperity masked vast disparities in income.

NYTIMES: The Great Depression