The rise and fall of American growth : the U.S. standard of living since the Civil War

The Resource The rise and fall of American growth : the U.S. standard of living since the Civil War
Label
The rise and fall of American growth : the U.S. standard of living since the Civil War
Title remainder
the U.S. standard of living since the Civil War
Statement of responsibility
Robert J. Gordon
Creator
Author
Subject
Genre
Language
eng
Summary
  • Examines the economic growth of the United States since the Civil War, arguing that the rate of growth between 1870 and 1970 cannot be repeated and that a number of issues are further stagnating the already slow rate of productivity growth
  • "In the century after the Civil War, an economic revolution improved the American standard of living in ways previously unimaginable. Electric lighting, indoor plumbing, home appliances, motor vehicles, air travel, air conditioning, and television transformed households and workplaces. With medical advances, life expectancy between 1870 and 1970 grew from forty-five to seventy-two years. Weaving together a vivid narrative, historical anecdotes, and economic analysis, The Rise and Fall of American Growth provides an in-depth account of this momentous era. But has that era of unprecedented growth come to an end? Gordon challenges the view that economic growth can or will continue unabated, and he demonstrates that the life-altering scale of innovations between 1870 and 1970 can't be repeated. He contends that the nation's productivity growth, which has already slowed to a crawl, will be further held back by the vexing headwinds of rising inequality, stagnating education, an aging population, and the rising debt of college students and the federal government. Gordon warns that the younger generation may be the first in American history that fails to exceed their parents' standard of living, and that rather than depend on the great advances of the past, we must find new solutions to overcome the challenges facing us. A critical voice in the debates over economic stagnation, The Rise and Fall of American Growth is at once a tribute to a century of radical change and a harbinger of tougher times to come."--Publisher's description
Member of
Cataloging source
DLC
Dewey number
339.4/20973
Illustrations
  • illustrations
  • charts
Index
index present
LC call number
HD6983
LC item number
.G69 2016
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
Series statement
The Princeton economic history of the Western world

Context

Context of The rise and fall of American growth : the U.S. standard of living since the Civil War

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