Legislation such as the US Glass-Steagall Act clipped their wings. Many bankers also suffered direct losses as their banks collapsed, or as investigations exposed them to public ridicule, and even jail.
造成新旧两种不同情况对比的一个可能原因就是1930年代的银行家们都在众目睽睽下受到了惩罚。类似格拉斯-斯蒂高尔法案（Glass-Steagall Act）这样的立法断了他们后路。许多银行家都在银行倒闭后受到了直接经济损失，或者相关调查使他们在公众面前蒙羞，甚至有些人被投进了监狱。