SATURN AND PLUTO IMPACT THE U.S.

The country’s “Saturn return” (transiting Saturn conjunct the position of Saturn in the U.S. chart) is a time of national reckoning, adjustment born of necessity, and karmic payback.  It portends austerity, an accelerating bankruptcy rate, a growing number of homeless people (what a disgrace for the “richest nation in the world”), mounting public discontent, hard times, intolerance of others unlike ourselves, recession or depression, an increased poverty rate, and natural disasters.

The only two times in U.S. history that a recession or depression did NOT occur when transiting Saturn was square Venus, Jupiter and Sun and conjunct Saturn in the U.S. chart was during the Korean War and the Civil War.  However, the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have not prevented an economic meltdown this time because there are many other astrological and economic influences at play (see 2010 Planetary Influences).

The last time Saturn was in Libra square the U.S. Venus, Jupiter, and Sun and conjunct Saturn was October 1980 – October 1982.  This was concurrent with the recession of July 1981 – November 1982, during which the “official” unemployment rate rose to 10.8% (the highest since 1938) and the GDP fell 2.7%.  The Iranian Revolution in 1979 resulted in a spike in the worldwide price of oil and caused the 1979 energy crisis.  This led to inflation, which the Federal Reserve attempted to control by tightening the money supply.

A square to Venus, Jupiter, and Sun and a conjunction with Saturn in the U.S. chart from transiting Pluto began in late 1971 and lasted through 1980, too long a period to be associated with specific recessions/depressions.  However, from August 1973 – July 1975, transiting Saturn was conjunct Venus, Jupiter, and Sun and square Saturn in the U.S. chart.  This means that transiting Saturn was square transiting Pluto and they were both in difficult aspect to the above planets in the U.S. chart.  The oil crisis and stock market crash of 1973-1974 were during the November 1973 – March 1975 recession, which was a period when unemployment and inflation both rose.  Also, impeachment proceedings were begun against Nixon (an example of immoral politicians), who resigned in disgrace in 1974.

The next previous square from transiting Saturn in Libra to Venus, Jupiter and Sun and conjunction with Saturn in the U.S. chart was December 1950 – December 1952 during the height of the Korean War.  Although this square did not coincide with a recession, a major change in the Federal Reserve occurred in 1951 when it reasserted its independence from the Treasury Department and in 1952 the FED instituted a tight monetary policy.

The next previous time that transiting Saturn was in Libra square Venus, Jupiter, and Sun and conjunct Saturn in the U.S. chart was October 1921 – October 1923.  These influences ushered in a recession from May 1923 – June 1924, when business activity decreased by 25% while trade and industrial activity declined by 23%.  Transiting Pluto was also conjunct Venus and Jupiter in the U.S. chart during this recession so this is another prime example (like 1973-1975 and 2009-2011) of a concurrent Saturn-Pluto square to U.S. Venus and Jupiter that was coincident with a recession.  Because Pluto moves so slowly, it was conjunct U.S. Venus, Jupiter, and Sun from late 1913 – early 1932 (using a 10 degree orb), too long an influence to be associated with specific recessions/depressions but an aggravating factor nonetheless.

The next previous square from transiting Saturn in Libra to Venus, Jupiter and Sun and conjunction with Saturn in the U.S. chart was September 1892 – September 1894, which coincided with the “Panic of 1893,” a recession that lasted from January 1893 – June 1894.  During this recession, business activity plummeted by 37% while trade and industrial activity fell by 30%.