[lbo-talk] Questions from before the Global Minotaur...

Michael Pollak mpollak at panix.com
Sun Nov 20 08:22:07 PST 2011


On Sun, 20 Nov 2011, Charles Turner wrote:


> Really wanted to know more about the Bretton Woods era. Can anyone
> recommend things to read?
>
> An overview would be helpful, but ultimately, I'm interested in what
> might be the "cultural impact" here in the U.S. of an economy (in
> Varoufakis' terms) organized around exporting industrial surplus to
> Europe and Japan. Views from Europe, and stuff connecting it to the Cold
> War also appreciated!

As I'm sure you know, this is a hugely open ended question, and there is an industry of cultural studies on the US in the 50 and 60s. If there's any particular detail you are interested in, there is a book on it.

But if you're really looking for a something that sums up the era, then off the top of my head I think the best might be John Kenneth Galbraith's books written during its heyday, _The Affluent Society_ and _The New Industrial State_. His writing is clean and direct; the books were deservedly famous in their day; and it is impossible to open them up now without feeling like you are reading about a completely different economy and society.

Michael



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