[jokoon]

To what extent? Please expand because this depends on how people's lives depends on the economy.

You can take good measures that slows down the economy without endangering people's lives. Of course you can also consider social unrest to be a risk but that's another matter.

[mellavora]

Well, for one, I depend on the economy for my food. I also depend on it for my drinking water. Oh, and in winter, for my heat.

Leaving that aside, I've also found the economy helpful in providing me with clothes and shelter.

And when I have gone off in the woods and played survivalist (and yes, I have), I depended on the economy not only for much of the gear which enabled this, but also for keeping me safe from attack by other tribes while off in the woods. No-one was fighting me for a particular foraging/hunting ground.

[buckminster]

If people's lives don't depend on the economy, why don't we all stop working?

[jimmaswell]

Wall Street and stock prices are detached from day to day life for most people.

[buckminster]

"The economy" isn't just what happens on Wall Street.