America is a relatively new nation compared to other nations around the world. Studying its history is an interesting process because it is objectively the most successful nation in history specifically in relation to business and economics, which was the focus of this class. The different chapters of America show a nation that was imperfect, but which nation has ever been perfect? All nations have showed their own unique struggles and issues. The American timeline shows a country that was founded after a righteous rebellion against an oppressive ruler which was the British empire. The struggles and adversity that America encountered were identified and were subsequently addressed, although the extent of the success of some of these issues that were worked on is unclear and left to a subjective analysis as are all sociological assessments of a respective country or phenomenon. Today, America still has issues, and many are debating exactly what they are and what is wrong and how should they be tackled.
As previously mentioned, this class is an emphasis on American history through a Lense of business and economics, but sociological phenomenon is intrinsically tied to this and was also spoken about in class, and I find it relevant to this post.
It was interesting to access this class through a business prospect because it is certainly the most if not one of the most important ways to do so. Historically, and especially on the macro level, America is the most successful economic force ever and also in contemporary times. Evaluating this through the course of its history offered interesting insight.
What I found particularly interesting, and it is what I wrote my last paper on was the consumer culture that has defined American economic doctrine post WW2 and up to today. Economic prosperity after the war was driven by massive consumption which in economic terms is increasing aggregate demand which in turn makes supply keep up with this demand and increases employment and this cycle is what American prosperity of the time and the so called “American dream” was built on. This was enabled by American dominance on the global stage after the war as well as the massive domestic abundance of resources in the country. This American prosperity has certainly decreased in recent decades and especially in the past few years, but it is still present in relation to many other countries who aren’t as well off. How to remedy the decline is a complicated but necessary topic to address, but certainly too complex for this blog.