"the '70s" in U.S. is from late '73 gas lines to Reagan's optimism after near brush March 30, 1981?

[Sam R.]

Do you mean that both systems are top down and bureaucratic?

There’s that. Market choices in both major versions of capital were often dictated by central plan or bank apparatus and supplemented by non-democratic and non-market-responsive firm decision behaviour.

At the firm level in both social organisations worker spontenaity was ground beneath the wheel of non responsive and dictatorial management.

Yet unemployment wasn’t a functional discipline. Instead the threat of bad work was used to keep good work workers under control.

Socially both systems had delegitimised themselves with bad political choices and a failure to fulfill core internal promises.

Unlike the 73-89 market cycle in both states, the working class believed that things had been getting better since ~1941 and ought to do so, that they deserved better, their society promised better, but failed to fulfill its promise. The working class had hope, and effective tactics to an extent in public protests and sit in strikes.

The maximal extent of working class activity failed against state intervention with armed forces.

 

[Driftless]

I actually think Watergate wasn’t all that important.

So, no, other than some nostalgic news items, I don’t see much effect from Watergate.

I will absolutely disagree with that idea. I was in my early 20's when the hearings took place, so my recollections come from before and after. Prior to then, there seemed a general notion that while there would be the odd crook in the House of Representatives, generally the remainder of government functioned, even if not to anyone's satisfaction. I think that the Watergate hearings and Nixon's resignation was the tipping point that has left us in a sea of relentless bitterness and general distrust of elected officials and distrust of the general public by many elected officials. Wategate shifted the populace into a different plane that has only deteriorated since then. Clinton's impeachment by comparison, was summer stock political theater. At risk of sounding like the angry old fart on the front porch shouting at passing clouds; I see Watergate as a national disaster that we've never recovered from. I think its had as much lasting impact as Viet Nam, but for different reasons.

*edit* Nixon was lucky to get off with resignation and pardon; but as time has passed, I think Ford did the right thing with the pardon.

 

[dw93]

IMHO, Post WWII Cultural Decades:

The 50's:

1953-1963
Early 50's: 1953-54
Core 50's: 1955-60
Late 50's: 1961-63

The 60's:

1964-1973
Early 60's: 1964-65
Core 60's: 1966-70
Late 60's: 1971-73

The 70's:

1974-1981
Early 70's: 1974-75
Core 70's: 1976-78
Late 70's: 1979-81

The 80's:

1982-1990
Early 80's: 1982-83
Core 80's: 1984-87
Late 80's: 1988-90

The 90's:

1991-1998
Early 90's: 1991-92
Core 90's: 1993-96
Late 90's: 1997-98

Y2K/Millennium Era:

1999-2001

The 2000's:

2002-2008
Early 00's: 2002-03
Core 00's: 2004-06
Late 00's: 2007-08

The 2010's:

2009-?
Early 10's: 2009-10
Core 10's: 2011-?

Late years and early years have traits of both decades (ex: the late 50's and early 60's have traits of both the core 50's and core 60's).

 

[GeographyDude]

. . . Yet unemployment wasn’t a functional discipline. Instead the threat of bad work was used to keep good work workers under control. . .

These days, I think both are used to push people to be conformists.

There’s a business book of 20 years ago which gave the advice, “Hire slow learners [of the institutional norms],” because these people have a lot to contribute. But I think that’s advice that’s more hopeful and full of potential, rather than advice which is actually followed.

I tell myself, it’s more about engagement, not conformity. I can’t lead people by being three miles down the road, etc.

All the same, most organizations choose their own smooth functioning most of the time.

 

[GeographyDude]

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tan...-ground-financially-to-upper-income-families/

So, it’s not just the oil shocks of 1973 and ‘79, it’s also a continued long-term decline of U.S. manufacturing jobs. And not so much the manufacturing output, as the jobs themselves.

————————

PS I would welcome the fact of 2016 being the beginning of a long improvement, but I want to see a couple more years.

 

[GeographyDude]

. . . the Watergate hearings and Nixon's resignation was the tipping point that has left us in a sea of relentless bitterness and general distrust of elected officials and distrust of the general public by many elected officials. . .

Especially on the last point, Rick Perlstein author of Nixonland argues that members of Congress are now afraid of the trauma of full-fledged hearings.

He says, Notice the very timid Congressional response to Iran-Contra.
https://www.salon.com/control/2014/...nixon_and_the_pardon_that_made_us_all_cynics/