Deindustrialization's Global Story

Almost two centuries ago, Alexis de Tocqueville, the great observer of American democracy, argued that two nations of the world—Russia and America—were starting at different points but progressing towards the same ends—power, wealth, and influence. After World War II, both nations achieved superpower status but in very different ways. While Russia chose the path of illiberalism—first under the Romanov dynasty and later the Communist Party—America became the world’s freest and most prosperous liberal democracy in history. This is the “just-so” story we tell ourselves about ourselves: neat, tidy, and unambiguous. Read Full Article »