For a Kinder, Gentler Society
Envy of the World:
An Illustrated History of the US Economy and Big Business
  • Timothy J. Botti
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Envy of the World: . An Illustrated History of the  US Economy and Big Business
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The first comprehensive historical study of the American economy and Big Business, Envy provides a thorough survey of American progress through the lens of industry, with a kaleidoscope of 100s of illustrations, graphs and charts.

About the Author

Timothy J. Botti holds a PhD in the history of American Foreign Policy and is a former Lecturer/Teaching Assistant at Ohio State University.

As an independent historian without allegiance to any political philosophy or party, he is able in his research and writing to go where the evidence leads. Thorough study combined with inductive, rather than deductive, reasoning is his basic approach.

Botti's expertise is in the history of world empires, American military and strategic studies, ancient Roman history, and the subject of his current work, the U.S. economy and Big Business. He takes the approach of applying broad knowledge to broad subjects, synthesizing information from across many areas.

In 2005, Dr. Botti created a firm called CLP Research to provide value-added research products, ranging from reports on businesses and industries to political genealogies, over the Internet.

His previous books include Ace in the Hole: Why the United States Did Not Use Nuclear Weapons in the Cold War (Greenwood Press 1996), and The Long Wait: The Forging of the Anglo-American Nuclear Alliance, 1945-1958 (Greenwood 1987).

About the Book
Envy of the World is a history of the rise and development of the American economy and Big Business over four centuries and how the individual and collective actions of Americans, native born and foreign, came to create the $11.5 trillion economy...
Envy of the World is a history of the rise and development of the American economy and Big Business over four centuries and how the individual and collective actions of Americans, native born and foreign, came to create the $11.5 trillion economy of today.Although the building American juggernaut was blessed above other nations with all manner of natural resources, the inventiveness and drive of the American people made the most of what Providence had bestowed. Steadily, then more swiftly, the foundation was laid for success. More intimate knowledge of economic reality and theory in the 20th century led ultimately to the world's greatest economy of today.The book provides periodic quantitative summation of gross domestic product, population, employment, company results, and other statistics, particularly in later chapters. Because the author's philosophy is that a picture AND a thousand words are better than either one alone, he has made extensive use of original charts and graphs, illustrations, industry genealogies, and maps.
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations Part 1. Laying the Foundation for Success: 1607-1860 Chapter I. An Irreconcilable Conflict of Interest, 1607-1762 Cost and Value of
List of Illustrations Part 1. Laying the Foundation for Success: 1607-1860 Chapter I. An Irreconcilable Conflict of Interest, 1607-1762 Cost and Value of Land Bounty of a New Continent Population and Labor Channeling Colonial Ambition Expansion of Agriculture and Enterprise Overseas Trade Manufacturing and Industry Chapter II. The Struggle for Control: 1763-1783 Turning the Financial Screws Western Land Compensation Economic Tit for Tat First US War Economy Chapter III. Independence with Material Advantage: 1783-1815 A Fitful Start Hamilton's Economic System Developing the Internal Market Expanding the Financial System Innovation, Industry, and Labor Economic Causes and Consequences of the War of 1812 Chapter IV. Manifest Economic Progress: 1816-1860 Developing a Modern Financial System Tapping a Continent's Natural Resources Overseas Trade Advances Internal Improvements Innovation Fuels Economic Expansion Labor and Population Part 2. Big Business and Government Vie for Supremacy: 1861-1945 Chapter V. Rise of Big Business: 1861-1890 Civil War Economic Stimulus Struggles of Farmers and Working Men Distracted, Reluctant Government Reconsidering Land Use Policy Expansion but Relative Decline of Agriculture Myth and Reality of the Self-Made Men Invention of New Products and Services Creates New Industries Embattled Industrial Labor Chapter VI. Capitalism within a Progressive Environment: 1890-1913 Developing a Regulatory Environment Rising Might of Industry and Finance The Second Transportation Revolution Consumer Spending Gravitates toward Brand Names Roots of the Entertainment Industry Hard Climb of the Labor Movement Continues Agriculture's Dependence on Overseas Trade Chapter VII. A Roaring but Inflated Good Time: 1914-1929 First World War and the Economy Reaction against Progressivism Mass Communications and Entertainment Big Industry Gets Bigger Innovation of Consumer Spending Funded with Debt Chapter VIII. Government and War Rescue the Economy: 1929-1945 Initial Government Responses to Calamity Partial Industrial Recovery The Rise of Organized Labor and More Radical Proposals Impact of Second World War Spending Part 3. Broadening Out of Economic Possibilities: 1946-1989 Chapter IX. A Relatively Golden Era of Economic Growth: 1946-1960 Postwar Adjustment and Government Policy First Postwar Economic Boom Impact of the Korean War Eisenhower Economics and Big Business Innovation in Financial Services, Insurance, and Pharmaceuticals The Conglomerate Concept Consumer Purchases Drive the Economy A Time of Transition in Entertainment, Leisure, and the Arts New Technology in Business Machines Balance Between Wage-Earners and Wealthy Chapter X. Proliferating the Material American Dream: 1961-1972 Kennedy Economics and the Growth of US Financial Assets The Great Society and Consequences for the Economy The Resurgence of American Financial Institutions Economics as an Extension of Politics High Tide for US Manufacturing The Wide World of Entertainment Cornucopia of Consumer Goods On the Verge of a High-Tech Revolution Mainstream for Big Labor; Morning Again for Wealth Chapter XI. Economic Complexities Beyond the Control of Government: 1973-1980 Oil Embargo and Its Impact Carter Economics Frustrates the Country Deregulation and Free Trade Diversification and Specialization in Difficult Times Man Versus Machine Wealth and Worry Chapter XII. Pendulum Swing Back Toward a Freer Economy: 1981-1989 Reagan Deregulation Policy and Impact Developments in Transportation and Heavy Industry Tax Cuts Spur the Financial Industry Boom Times for Aerospace- Defense and Telecommunications Health Care as a National Asset Ã??' and a Household Burden Farming Becomes Agri-Business King Consumer Spends Again The New Technology Economy The Waxing Value of Intangible Assets A Decade of Winners and Losers Part 4. Old Economy Versus New Economy 1990-2004 Chapter XIII. Roller Coaster Ride for Energy and Transportation Cheap Oil Fuels the Economy Crossed Wires in Electricity Government Interferes with and Assists Transportation Chapter XIV. Retrenchment of US Heavy Industry Consolidating the Military Industrial Complex Embattled Steel Reorganizes to Fight Imports and Alternatives A Boom in Construction Chapter XV. Pressing a Global Advantage Two Steps Forward, One Step Back Toward Free Trade Battles Royal over Agriculture and Forestry Chapter XVI. As Goes Consumer Spending So Goes the Economy Competition Narrows and Intensifies in Consumer Durables The Era of Mega Retailers Basic Staples of the Consumer Economy Thrive Chapter XVII. The New Economy Reaches Critical Mass The Internet Phenomenon Communications Explosion and Implosion The Computer Industry Matures Other High Technology Developments Chapter XVIII. Creative Content Creates Big Profits Cable Revolutionizes the TV Industry Panorama of Video Possibilities Elusive Profits for Music and Publishing Chapter Chapter XIX. Blending the Old Economy with the New Clinton Economics and the Health Care Maelstrom Drug Companies Prosper in the Global Market Chapter XX. A Republic Richer than Croesus Freeing the Golden Goose of Financial Services An Investor's Market Bringing More Variety to Insurance Chapter XXI. Competition for Wealth and Income Big Buildup of WealthÃ??'and Debt Labor as a Global Commodity Government's Shifting Policies Chapter XXII. Legacy of the Past Inspires a Challenge for the Future Index of Names Index of Companies, Products, and Services
More Information
Author's Foreword At time of this writing in 2005, following a Presidential election campaign characterized by harsh criticism of special moneyed interests and foreign outsourcing of labor, many Americans have taken a dim view of Big Business and the federal government's management of the economy. This book does not shrink from pointing out episodes of corporate greed and malfeasance as well as mistakes by Washington both in the recent and distant past. However, the...
Author's Foreword At time of this writing in 2005, following a Presidential election campaign characterized by harsh criticism of special moneyed interests and foreign outsourcing of labor, many Americans have taken a dim view of Big Business and the federal government's management of the economy. This book does not shrink from pointing out episodes of corporate greed and malfeasance as well as mistakes by Washington both in the recent and distant past. However, the impression is epidemic among the populace that the advances and conveniences of a modern society are the God-given right of Americans. In point of fact, the cornucopia of excellence that exists in food and household products, clothing and consumer durables, housing and motor vehicle transportation, health care and high tech industry, and other goods and services, would not be available to the majority of citizens but for the ambition, effort, and, yes, self-interest of entrepreneurs who founded, grew, and consolidated private enterprise companies. Further, the sometimes contradictory efforts by government officials to balance the interests of corporations, societal groups, and individuals have created by-and-large a most beneficial atmosphere for economic endeavor. Praise of business and governmental leaders in no way diminishes the importance of the exertions, intellectual as well as physical, of working men and women. Any American who travels abroad for any length of time will recognize that by comparison with the progress and wherewithal of other countries, the United States is most fortunate in its material blessings and accomplishments. Given the number of people from all points of the compass desiring to come to these shores, and conversely the rising tide of hostility toward American economic and geo-strategic hegemony in diverse regions of the world, the majority of foreigners apparently think so too. However, this book is not about world opinion of the United States. Rather, it is a history of the rise and development of the American economy and Big Business over four centuries and how the individual and collective actions of Americans, native born and foreign, came to create the $11.7 trillion economy of today. Inseparable from the discussion is periodic quantitative summation of gross domestic product, population, employment, company results, and other statistics. Particularly in later chapters, the reader will notice a greater emphasis on numbers. Hopefully, figures will not compromise readability. Because my philosophy continues to be that a picture and a thousand words are better than just the thousand words, I have made extensive use of graphs, illustrations, industry genealogies, and maps. Updated graphs using current year data will be available on the website Masnapshot.com beginning in autumn 2006. Other analyses of company and industry merger and acquisition activity will also be included on the site.
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Pages 736
Year: 2006
LC Classification: HC103.B77
Dewey code: 330.973--dc22
BISAC: BUS022000
BISAC: HIS036000
BISAC: BUS077000
Soft Cover
ISBN: 978-0-87586-431-0
Price: USD 36.00
Hard Cover
ISBN: 978-0-87586-432-7
Price: USD 48.00
eBook
ISBN: 978-0-87586-433-4
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