Politics and American Business: The Growth of Industrial America 1860-1960

A flashpoint in the American presidential campaign of 2012 came when President Obama told business people, "You didn't build that," suggesting that the government deserved the credit for business growth. This book explores the interaction, at times cooperative, and at times confrontational, between business and government in the key 100 year period between 1860 and 1960, during which time the United States achieved worldwide industrial superiority. Five key recurring patterns are identified which explain how and why business grew, and what governmental policies and processes assisted or hindered that growth.