One country that did recover well from the last great depression was Germany as a matter of fact, actual economic fact, they fared better then any other country as the history books show.
Unlike Obama and Brown they used their own resources to rebuild the economy, thus recirculating the monies injected into said economy.
the US UK model for recession beating has the obvious flaws that it will suck in more imported goods, fuel another house price bubble and be bled dry by another surge in oil prices.
Many economists fear this as there is no more borrowing to be had after the current round. We would be left with the only option of pawning our own remaining natural resources.
China on the other hand has steadily been buying bonds and other countries national resources and will be well placed to emerge as the new world power.