What Went Wrong, or Was It Right?

In 2095, while Pops and his college-aged great-grandson are cleaning the attic of a family farm, they find a variety of magazines and papers stowed away near 2018 by Pops's father. Based on their few hours of examination, they disagree on whether the apparent changes suggested in the papers they observed were all good. Pops agrees to study and summarize what he learns from the documents about the era. Andrew is to return his frank comments. Pops then begins a systematic study to compare this past period against the current existing conditions. A series of letters to Andrew (chapters in this book) follow, summarizing US conditions in earlier periods, noting the dramatic changes since then in technology, culture, and economics. Pops is surprised to find just how bad the US situation was during his own childhood. In the investigating process, Pops also finds that his father had served on a lead section of a national-level committee whose job it was to suggest remedies for a then-sadly ailing US government and economy.

Pops's study reveals that the startling economic changes from the mid-2010s were not entirely driven by the rapidly advancing technology. The shift back to US prosperity and world economic leadership was accomplished by major changes in the way the economy was structured and the way it ran. In a step requiring a national vote, the relationship between government and business was dramatically altered, and the US economy became extremely efficient. The government, after receiving approval in a national election, made major changes to the way the economy was structured. As a result, well-paying jobs became available for anyone wanting them or needing to work. Government handouts became limited only to the severely handicapped. Work hours were lessened, and individuals were able to easily find their way toward a personally suited ideal career. Recreation time and retirement were secure. Good universal health care became the standard, although it was needed substantially less as the nation's health improved due to medical breakthroughs, healthier lifestyles, more tightly controlled foodstuff, and tailored standard medications. Personal safety ceased to be a significant concern.

Although not advocating this volume's predicted solution to America's problems, in the author's opinion, this approach may be the only one actually feasible.