What happened in 50 years?.. America through the eyes of a writer of Soviet origin | policy

On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States of America, the American writer of Soviet origin, Max Boot, recalls his personal experience 50 years after his arrival in the country, to present in an article in the Washington Post a reading that combines biography and political analysis and confirms that America today is stronger, richer, and freer, despite the political division it is witnessing and the decline in confidence in institutions.

Bout says that he arrived in America in 1976, when he was six years old, coming from the Soviet Union, accompanied by his mother and grandmother, coinciding with the country’s celebrations of the second centenary of independence.

He believes that the similarities between 1976 and today are striking, as the country was then facing the repercussions of a political scandal, an energy crisis, a losing war, and high inflation, but over time it was able to overcome these crises and achieve profound transformations.

Radical changes

The writer points out that the American economy has witnessed radical changes over the past five decades, as the gross domestic product has doubled several times, and the average per capita income has increased significantly, coinciding with the increase in the population from 214 million to more than 340 million.

However, Bout points out that the fruits of this growth were not distributed equally, as the share of the highest income earners in total income doubled, while the share of the middle class declined.

He believes that the widening economic gap, along with the demographic shifts resulting from increased immigration and the decline in the proportion of whites in the total population, contributed to the rise of populist movements on the right and left, starting with the “Tea Party” movement and “Occupy Wall Street,” all the way to the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement and the Democratic Socialists.

Polarized state

He adds that social media has deepened the state of polarization, while Americans’ confidence in the government has declined to historic levels, considering that the rise of extreme right-wing movements today represents one of the biggest threats facing American democracy.

Despite these fears, the author confirms that America has achieved clear progress in many areas, and the country has witnessed an expansion in the rights of women and minorities, both through increased representation of women and minorities in Congress, as well as a decline in manifestations of racism and discrimination that were common during the 1970s.

Bott points out that the election of Barack Obama – as the first African-American president – represented a historical milestone that many did not expect decades ago, but he acknowledges that some gains were later reversed, with the Supreme Court abolishing some guarantees related to voting rights and abortion.

America and the rest of the world

At the international level, the writer believes that the world has witnessed major changes since 1976, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the apartheid regime in South Africa, although Russia under the leadership of Vladimir Putin still represents a security challenge.

China has also become the main competitor to the United States economically and militarily, at a time when relations with allies, especially NATO, are facing pressure due to the unilateral policies of President Donald Trump.

Bout expresses his concern about Trump’s performance, considering that he abused power and sought to persecute his political opponents. He also criticizes his re-election after his attempt to challenge the results of the 2020 elections. But on the other hand, he believes that the American judiciary is still playing its role in limiting the excesses of the executive authority, which reflects the strength of the constitutional system.

The writer concludes that, although some of his illusions about the United States have diminished compared to what he felt when he arrived as an immigrant child, he is still grateful for the opportunity that the country has given him, expressing his confidence that the country is able to overcome its current crises and that the coming decades may bring more progress despite all the challenges.