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So continue down this path of oil dependency ?
Last time I looked at a map we had plenty of roads.
Should we build more roads next to the roads we already have ?
Would that double the need for more cars ?
Hey, I'm just stating how the highway system back then created growth. I didn't say it would today. We are in a different era.
The US has seen substantial economic growth and prosperity following World War II. Was it the free market, or social programs?
All of the worlds manufacturing base was in Europe, Russia, and the United States.
So what happened during WWII? We bombed and destroyed almost all of the European industrial base, and Hitler did a number on the Russians.
So after WWII the world had no one else to turn to for manufacturing goods other then the United States, and we had increased our manufacturing output because we weren't bombed during the war. (Pearl Harbor was techinically before the war, and really didn't hurt us as bad as some would make it out to have)
Free market and social programs didn't help anything, war did.
Also, once the war ended, Americans went on the mother of all buying sprees for homes, cars, washing machines and other household goods which caused the unemployment rate to collapse and sent the economy into the stratosphere.
Social programs most certainly did not jump-start the economy; that would have been impossible because government is flat-out horrendous and terribly inefficient when it comes to micromanaging certain segments either of the economy or of human behavior.
Also, once the war ended, Americans went on the mother of all buying sprees for homes, cars, washing machines and other household goods which caused the unemployment rate to collapse and sent the economy into the stratosphere.
You're correct, the soldiers coming home had an immediate expansion of consumer demand, then the baby boomers started being born which increased that demand even further.
World War II was what brought us out of the depression, and started us on the road of prosperity we had for almost 30 years (in 1973 median wage earners started decreasing their income levels).
And guess what? If we get into major economic trouble, with a military the size and the scope of ours, we'll go to war again.
The military industrial complex goes on and on, and the people of my country are oblivious.
You're correct, the soldiers coming home had an immediate expansion of consumer demand, then the baby boomers started being born which increased that demand even further.
World War II was what brought us out of the depression, and started us on the road of prosperity we had for almost 30 years (in 1973 median wage earners started decreasing their income levels).
And guess what? If we get into major economic trouble, with a military the size and the scope of ours, we'll go to war again.
The military industrial complex goes on and on, and the people of my country are oblivious.
And don't forget that with all the rationing during the War Americans were able to save alot of money because they just could not spend it.
After WWII, previously underprivileged people were flush with money and a thriving middle class popped up. They drove a market, that drove an economy. As it happened, the "job creators" created tons of jobs even at an 80% marginal tax rate.
ETA: The poll is a false dilemma, didn't vote. The situation was pretty unique.
The US has seen substantial economic growth and prosperity following World War II. Was it the free market, or social programs?
No social programs existed, other than Social Security and unemployment benefits.
Your prosperity was the result of several factors, primarily, the US Dollar became the de facto international reserve currency (which is very fortunate for you otherwise you have been saddled with massive Real Inflation for a decade), and the de facto international currency of trade (which is another very fortunate stroke of luck for you because it prevent massive Real Inflation), and because most of the developed world had their manufacturing capacity destroyed, or they were experiencing a severe credit crunch to do war spending and borrowing.
As a point of fact, your prosperity began declining the moment you enacted Medicaid, Medicare, Section 8 Housing and other idiotic social programs in 1965.
Your spending on those, plus your spending on Vietnam led to Real Inflation in the 1970s, and that coupled with Wage Inflation, plus Cost Inflation led to a stagnant economy which then entered a major recession.
Social programs have bred more need for themselves!
Sadly, they have also bred more "need" for the political party that wallows in said, social programs! buying the swine more voters, they know this and it is why they push the programs and "pastor" their own in "Class Warfare."
The reason Americans had "a log of money" was because the wives started working in factories, and the Husbands were working as soldiers.
Effectively doubled houshold incomes for about 4 to 5 years.
It's almost as if putting money in the hands of the lower income classes generates demand and stimulates an economy... Nah, couldn't possibly be.
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