The year that marks the beginning of the Great Depression is 1929. This economic downturn began with the stock market crash in October of that year, which resulted in widespread financial panic and the collapse of banks and businesses. The Great Depression had devastating effects across the globe, leading to mass unemployment, poverty, and social unrest. It significantly impacted economic policy and prompted government intervention at unprecedented levels, notably through initiatives like Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal in the United States, aimed at economic recovery and reform.