Worst recovery in postwar era largely explained by cuts in government spending

Timescale Average annual change in GDP, by expansion Annual increase in government spending 
1949 Q4–1953 Q2 7.6% 17.9%
1954 Q2–1957 Q3 4.0% 0.3%
1958 Q2–1960 Q2 5.7% 2.3%
1961 Q1–1969 Q4 4.9% 4.0%
1970 Q4–1973 Q4 5.1% -1.0%
1975 Q1–1980 Q1 4.3% 1.9%
1980 Q3–1981 Q3 4.4% 1.2%
1982 Q4–1990 Q3 4.3% 3.8%
1991 Q1–2001 Q1 3.4% 1.0%
2001 Q4–2007 Q4 2.8% 1.9%
2009 Q2–2016 Q2 2.1% -0.9%

Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Economic Analysis data series.

View the underlying data on epi.org.