Taken for a Ride

Taken for a Ride

McCutcheon, John

The “Taken for a Ride” cartoon refers to the state of the stock market and illustrates the shift from a bull market to a bear. In the 1920s many people were interested in ways to “get rich quick.” Americans used the stock market as a means to riches, without understanding the risks. The widespread use of stock buying on credit and investing in poor real estate ventures, particularly in Florida, created a “booming” economy really built on an unstable foundation. Cartoonist John McCutcheon illustrates the market shift from a bull market, a time of high investments, to a bear market, low investments. Many American investors initially held onto their investments with the hope that the market would recover, however, the decision would come back to bite them—literally. His cartoon shows that the American people were trapped in their past way of thinking and were unable to face the harsh realization that they had lost money in a failing market.

The Chicago Tribune

Busch, Zach

cartoon

Fall 2025

National Political Cartoon Collection, volume 14

English

October 25, 1929