![]() The decline in US pre-eminence would be clear from the data on industrial production. Japan also emerged as a major economic power in the world and Japanese goods began to compete with US goods not only in the world market but also in the US domestic market. In the following years, the economies of West European countries developed at a very fast rate. This plan had helped the European economies to recover to their pre-war levels within a very short period. From 1948 to 1952, the US had provided about $ 12 billion to the countries of Western Europe under the European Recovery Plan, popularly known as the Marshall Plan after the name of the then US Secretary of State. During recent years, there has been a decline in the economic supremacy of the United States. Very often, the government, when faced with a deficit, resorted to cuts on expenditure in medical care and other social welfare programmes, rather than increase taxes on the corporations. In the US, the relationship between political leaders and higher levels of government bureaucracy and the military establishment, and the corporations and big financial institutions has been closer than in most other democratic countries with capitalist economies. The growing “interfusion” of the military and the industry in peace time alarmed many Americans and Eisenhower, the US President, while laying down office in January 1961, warned the country against “the acquisition of unwarrantable influence … by the military-industrial complex”. There was tremendous increase in the growth of industries connected with armaments and a huge amount of government funds were spent for procuring defence equipment which benefited a few big corporations. Most of the economy was controlled by a relatively small number of companies and corporations. The growth of economy was, as in the earlier periods, accompanied by the growing centralisation of the economy. The US was able to sustain this “consumerism” because of her own vast natural resources as well as the control she exercised over a variety of natural resources of many other parts of the world. ![]() Every technological innovation, minor or major, made the existing product obsolete and worthless. The motor car became a symbol of this consumer culture. There was an unprecedented growth in the production and consumption of a huge variety of consumption goods. The affluence of the American people was reflected in the growth of what is usually described as “consumer culture” or “consumerism”. From 1940 to 1987, the GNP rose from about $ 100 billion to about $ 5,200 billion while the population rose from about 132 million to about 240 million. The post-war period was one of unprecedented economic prosperity. In fact, the problems created by the Great Depression had been overcome during the war. The Second World War had done no damage to the US economy. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US became the only superpower in the world. Ríos remembers having to choose, at age 9, between playing soccer and joining one of the musical bands that are a popular community activity in the rural villages in Oaxaca.Image Source: /wp-content/uploads/2012/06/USA.jpg The Carmen Sánchez Foundation, started in 2021 to highlight the issue in Mexico, says government health data from 2022 suggests more than 100 women were attacked by chemicals or some kind of corrosive agent, though only 28 were reported to authorities. Currently they are treated as simple assault or bodily injury.Īcid attacks are most common in South Asia, but also have been documented in many other parts of the world, including Latin America. ![]() Mexico City legislators have proposed a bill bearing her nickname, “Malena,” which would classify acid attacks as a distinct, serious crime equivalent to attempted femicide. Meanwhile, Ríos has joined a movement calling for greater punishments for acid attacks and says the saxophone is her “sword” in that battle on behalf of victims. The ex-politician who allegedly ordered the attack is being held in jail while awaiting trial, as are two other men, but another remains at large.
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