The USA came close to total collapse in September 2008
2/11/2009 at 9:43 AM
Rep. Paul Kanjorski(D)(PA-11): In mid-September of 2008, the U.S. came just three hours away from the collapse of the entire economy. In a span of two hours, $550 billion was drawn out of money market accounts in an electronic run on the banks.
Rep. Kanjorski: "It would have been the end of our economic system and our political system as we know it."
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/9/234340/6189/142/695504