economic slump; hard times; poor (business); dull; gloomy; cheerless
minimum; at the very least
food, clothing and shelter; necessities of life
collapse; crumbling; breaking down; (radioactive) decay; disintegration
tone (of voice); manner of talking
successive generations; successive emperors
as one would expect from ...; given that ... (naturally ...); because ...; for good reason; there is a (good) reason that ...
economy; economics; finance; (one's) finances; being economical; economy
political measures; policy
previous generation (of a family); previous head of the family; predecessor; previous age; previous generation
thereabouts; vicinity; that area; that situation; those circumstances
consumption tax (incl. sales tax, VAT, excise duty, etc.)
to insert; to include; to incorporate; to install; to embed
introduction; bringing in; installation; introduction (to a story, lecture, etc.); introductory part
consumer behavior; consumption patterns
control; restraint; suppression; constraint; curtailment; inhibition
to fix; to settle; to standardize; constant; definite; uniform
scornful laughter; ridicule; derision; sneer
to take in; to gather in; to adopt (e.g. an idea); to accept (e.g. advice); to harvest; to reap
to cross (legs or arms); to link (arms); to put together; to construct; to braid; to plait; to grapple
company; lot; people; troupe; company (of musicians)
dirt under one's fingernails; shred (of decency, etc.); scrap; bit
to boil; to decoct; to infuse
to laugh at; to ridicule; to mock; to make fun of; to sneer at
solid; robust; tight; taut; shrewd; calculating
to lose (something); to get rid of; to eliminate; to remove
good times; boom; (wave of) prosperity
root; source; origin; foundation; basis; essence
to get worse; to deteriorate; to go from bad to worse; to spoil (of food); to go bad; to perish
source of funds; resources; finances
to poke fun at; to make fun of; to send up
stimulus; stimulation; impetus; impulse; excitement; thrill
substitute; replacement; stand-in; proxy; compensation; exchange
compensation; amends; redeeming feature
national debt; national securities; government bonds; government securities
publication (of a newspaper, magazine, book, etc.); issue; issue (of banknotes, bonds, passport, etc.); raising (an event)