A discourse on US economic & military hegemony sin 1945

A economic history lesson
After WWII, the US stood alone as the sole economic powerhouse , not decimated by the war. Germany, France, Japan and to some extent England, all had to rebuild their economies pretty much from scratch. It was particularly troublesome for France - because of the Allied invasion & Germany because of the Allied bombing runs and occupation.

Meanwhile in 1945 the US accounted for half the world's manufacturing capacity, most of its food surpluses and virtually all international financial reserves. By the time Japan surrendered the American fleet was larger than all other fleets in the world combined. Postwar - A History of Europe Since 1945 pg 105

By the end of the 1960s towards the early 70, three crucial events coalesced to question the tenets of Kensian economic theory (Tax/Spend policy geared towards smoothing out lows & highs in cycles. 1) Marshall Plan aid was being paid off from the European & Japanese. 2) these same countries went thru turbulent overhauling both economically and geographically, by means of occupation and ethnic relocation. The central reason being so the mistakes of post WWI would not be repeated. 3) OPEC formed to exercise authority of the world's growing dependence on fossil fuels.

By the end of the 1970, religious zealots and neoconservative war hawks, scapegoated the economic woes of the country on a one term president - Jimmy Carter.

Their agenda was two-fold, 1) blame the decline on the lower classes - by using rhetoric like welfare queens driving Cadillacs, and a recent overthrow of a CIA operative, the Shah of Iran 2) Try to justify simultaneous tax breaks and record deficit spending - which 1988 presidential candidate Michael Dukakis characterized as "A blank check of prosperity"
This scheme worked because it laid claim to the country's sense of patriotism & religious devotion.

This same scheme was based on supply side economic theory which led to the stock market crash of 1929 & ensuing great depression. More recently it was the single biggest factor involved in the housing & credit boom/bust.

Fortunately the blog & online community have become a significant grass-roots, backyard fence community, to bring like minded people together, in hopes of combating the emotional tools used by those in bed with the military industrial complex.