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Better, Stronger, Faster: The Myth of American Decline . . . and the Rise of a New Economy
Daniel Gross, Yahoo! financial columnist and author of Dumb Money , offers a refreshingly optimistic take on our nation’s economic prospects, examining the positive trends that point to a better, stronger future.
Financial meltdown, a deep recession, and political polarization—combined with strong growth outside the U.S.—have led to a global bubble of pessimism surrounding the U.S. and its economic prospects. Bloated with debt, outpaced by China, India, and other emerging markets, the U.S. has been left for dead as an economic force.
But, Daniel Gross, widely respected for his Newsweek and Slate coverage of the crash and the recovery, shows that much of the talk about decline is misplaced. In the wake of the crash, rather than accept the inevitability of a Japan-style lost decade, America’s businesses and institutions tapped into the very strengths that built the nation’s economy into the global powerhouse in the first speed, ingenuity, adaptability, pragmatism, entrepreneurship, and, most significantly, an ability to engage with the world. As the U.S. wallowed in self-pity, the world continued to see promise in what America has to offer—buying exports, investing in the U.S., and adapting American companies and business models as their own. Global growth, it turns out, is not a zero-sum game. These same attributes can propel the world’s largest economy forward through the significant headwinds it faces.
Better, Stronger, Faster is a narrative of the remarkable reconstruction and reorientation that started in March 2009, a period that Gross compares to March 1933. Both marked the start of unexpected recoveries and monumental shifts in our nation’s history. As Gross explains, through stories of innovative solutions devised by policymakers, businesses, investors, and consumers, America has the potential to emerge from this period, not as the unrivaled ruler of the global economy, but as a leader and enabler of growth.
Financial meltdown, a deep recession, and political polarization—combined with strong growth outside the U.S.—have led to a global bubble of pessimism surrounding the U.S. and its economic prospects. Bloated with debt, outpaced by China, India, and other emerging markets, the U.S. has been left for dead as an economic force.
But, Daniel Gross, widely respected for his Newsweek and Slate coverage of the crash and the recovery, shows that much of the talk about decline is misplaced. In the wake of the crash, rather than accept the inevitability of a Japan-style lost decade, America’s businesses and institutions tapped into the very strengths that built the nation’s economy into the global powerhouse in the first speed, ingenuity, adaptability, pragmatism, entrepreneurship, and, most significantly, an ability to engage with the world. As the U.S. wallowed in self-pity, the world continued to see promise in what America has to offer—buying exports, investing in the U.S., and adapting American companies and business models as their own. Global growth, it turns out, is not a zero-sum game. These same attributes can propel the world’s largest economy forward through the significant headwinds it faces.
Better, Stronger, Faster is a narrative of the remarkable reconstruction and reorientation that started in March 2009, a period that Gross compares to March 1933. Both marked the start of unexpected recoveries and monumental shifts in our nation’s history. As Gross explains, through stories of innovative solutions devised by policymakers, businesses, investors, and consumers, America has the potential to emerge from this period, not as the unrivaled ruler of the global economy, but as a leader and enabler of growth.
- GenresEconomicsNonfiction
272 pages, Paperback
First published March 20, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 21, 2012
It's nice to actually read something that gives hope for an American future. As a reader you must accept the number Gross puts forth but the book appears to be well researched and I did not find it a stretch. Being in commercial construction, I have been cautiously optimistic of a recovery over the last year and moving into 2013as we have seen increases in both volume and total profit. This book simply reinforced what I thought I was seeing.......the American private sector is a resilient beast and can handle a surprising amount of stress. Read this book, reestablish your confidence in America, and let the "Yesbuts" and "Ney-Sayers" continue their useless chatter while you forge ahead.
August 24, 2012
A must read for anyone interested in the global economy.
November 18, 2012
An interesting perspective on American resilience and adaptability. It really changed my perspective.
September 8, 2016
Loved the stories from it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews