ENGLISH

The United States since 1980

By Dean Baker

Book information

Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
2007
ISBN
0521860172, 9780521860178, 0521677556, 9780521677554
LCC
E876 .B35 2007
Open Library ID
OL24711884M
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
2 MB (1790341 bytes)
Series
The world since 1980
Edition
illustrated edition
Pages
290\290
Topic
History
Scanned
yes
Time added
2010-05-17 00:23:50

Description

Good compact survey of economic and political trends since 1980. Baker correctly (I believe) sees that date with the election of the arch-conservative Ronald Reagan as a watershed year. The narrative follows chronologically from the 1980 threshold and its background in the feckless Carter administration. Graphs and tables are included to buttress his points but do not disrupt the flow. It's not a polemical or particularly partisan work, though a critical undercurrent is sensed from time to time. Social issues such as gay rights, abortion, and other leading movements including the rise of religious fundamentalism are also discussed but not emphasized. There's not a lot of depth, though he's clearly most comfortable discussing causal factors shaping economic policy. Thus considerable light is shed on economic policy, particularly during the Reagan years. Put in perspective, the rightward swing over the past 25 years is unmistakable, as business backers see an opportunity to jettison or fatally weaken decades of fettering regulation. Now is a good time-- with the Bush debacle-- to get a handle on what this swing has wrought. Baker's handy little tome is a good place to start.

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