In thinking about the transformations of the United States, what do you see as the three most important developments in American society between 1932 and the present? Are there any connections that unite these developments and present a common theme?

Much has happened in American history since 1932. Throughout all those seventy years the United States has witnessed great developments of its society and economy and has also experienced great transformations. The connections between corporations and science and engineering establishments, credit cards and finally Reaganomics are the ones that I find the most important. All of them might be united by a common theme of boosting economic growth and promoting free market economy.

The development of big business gave new order to American society and economy. Although it brought deskilled workers, low standards of work and work relations that Porter calls in The Rise of Big Business, ‘the drive system’, corporations had also a positive influence on American economy. The big business connections with science and engineering establishments gave boost to ‘research and development of new products and processes’.¹ Different firms, such as mentioned by Porter, General Electric, AT...