During the Great Depression, food was left to rot in the fields or fields that had once been actively cultivated were left fallow. Use one of the principles of economy-wide interaction to explain how this could have occurred.

Key Concepts: Great Depression, Food Waste, Fallows, Principles Of Economy-Wide Interaction Explanation: The Great Depression was a severe economic crisis that affected the entire economy. One of the principles of economy-wide interaction is the supply-demand principle. According to this principle, the price of a product is determined by the interactions of the supply and demand factors. During the Great Depression, the demand for food dropped significantly, and as a result, farmers were left with a surplus of crops. However, the price of food did not decrease as a result, which meant that farmers were unable to sell their crops at a profit. In addition, many farmers had borrowed money to buy land or equipment, and when they were unable to sell their crops, they were unable to repay their debts. As a result, they could not afford to continue farming, and their fields were left fallow or with crops that were not harvested and left to rot. Step by Step Solution: Step 1. The Great Depression caused a significant decrease in demand for food. Step 2. Despite the decrease in demand, the price of food did not decrease due to the supply-demand principle. Step 3. Farmers were left with a surplus of crops and unable to sell them at a profit. Step 4. Many farmers were unable to repay their debts and could not afford to continue farming. Step 5. As a result, many fields were left fallow or with crops that were not harvested and left to rot.