Yet the West's economies have embarked on contractionary policies.

然而西方经济体却实施收缩银根的政策。

She had fought and schemed and nursed them through the dark times when Yankee confiscation loomed, when money was tight and smart men going to the wall.

时亚特兰大刚刚挣扎着从废墟中站起来，她临着穷困的威胁，而北方佬的没收政策已隐，银根很紧，能干的人到处碰壁。在这些所有艰苦的条件下，她拼命奋斗，苦心筹划，将两个厂子经营并发殿起来。