This doctrine was extremely popular in the nineteenth century until industrialization and mass production proved it insufficient (britannica.com). The Great Depression was caused by mass production, credit, speculation, and maldistribution of wealth. The trigger was the stock market crash of 1929 which occurred because of the lack of regulation in the stock market. Laissez-faire played a role in the Great Depression but it also has its benefits with minimal government regulation. These benefits include the growth of business and growth of GDP which leads to a healthy economy. The more businesses there are the more jobs available. Businesses are able to grow because of the hands off policy of laissez-faire. There are less taxes and regulations in a free market.
“The only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. All efforts by government to redistribute wealth, or to control or manage trade, are improper in a free society