inside usa
Inside USA

Tracing the financial crisis

Inside USA revisits some stories of ordinary Americans stuggling to get by.

To watch part two click here

Over the last few weeks, the world has watched as some of the best-known brand names in US capitalism have either crumbled or been bailed out by taxpayers.

Watching the spectacle unfold on TV, you could be forgiven for thinking that the financial crisis is all about men in suits, whether on Wall Street or in Washington.

It is not. The meltdown did not begin on Wall Street and it did not begin just a few weeks ago.

It has been building for years as American workers have struggled with stagnant wages and rising costs – whether for housing, fuel or health care.

For the past year, Inside USA has been following those stories. Time then, for a look back at some of them.

This episode of Inside USA aired from Friday, October 10, 2008.