"In Bankrupt in America, Mary and Brad Hansen show that examination of how Americans have used bankruptcy law and the history of the law itself offers important perspective on the history of bankruptcy in America. Using new statistical and documentary evidence, they illustrate the cycles of...

Introduction: everything old is new again -- When personal debt was really business debt (2000 BC-1920 AD) -- Everybody paid cash for the Model T (1908-1929) -- Fannie Mae can save America (1924-1939) -- How I learned to stop worrying and love the debt (1945-1960) -- Discounted goods and...