![]() Politics and corruption have always gone hand-in-hand, but in the post-Cold War years, it became clear that the wealth-generating money markets of the US also came with stark economic inequality. In places like Hungary and Russia, this move raised questions about America’s specific brand of capitalism. It became about growing a healthy world economy. The values America was pushing became less about personal freedoms and democracy, and more about dollars and cents. But after the Iron Curtain came down, things got murkier. For many people, including those living under Soviet rule in the Eastern bloc, this was a compelling purpose. The key message is: America’s standing took a dive in the post-Cold War era.Īfter the Second World War, the US was all about promoting democracy. But it also left a gaping hole, as the country asked itself, Where do we go from here? What’s our purpose in the world? In a way, it was a high-water mark for the US. The collapse of the wall was as clear a sign as any that America had won the Cold War. ![]() ![]() The US economy was booming, the Soviet empire was crumbling, and by the end of the decade the Berlin Wall had fallen. Popular movies like Top Gun and Rocky IV were indoctrinating young minds with the idea that no foreign power stood a chance against the US and its tireless brand of righteous freedom. People growing up in the US in the 1980s could easily fall victim to a certain narrative about American exceptionalism. ![]()
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