Industrialized Democracies Chapter 15.2

Focus Question How did the US, W. Europe, and Japan achieve economic prosperity and strengthen democracy during the Cold War?

America Prospers and Changes During the Cold War, the United States played a central role in helping other nations to rebuild. America experienced boom times in the 1950s and 1960s. The more affluent Americans moved from cities to suburbs. Many moved to the Sunbelt.

Democracy Expands Opportunity In the 1970s, high oil prices brought on a recession. After World War II, many minorities began to demand equal rights. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down segregation in schools.

Democracy Expands Opportunity Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., led a civil rights movement that used boycotts and peaceful marches to make its point. Programs for the poor and disadvantaged grew under Democratic presidents Kennedy and Johnson and shrank under Republican Reagan.

Western Europe Rebuilds After the decline of Communism, German voters approved the reunification of Germany. All Germans then benefited from the former West Germany’s booming economy. Britain and other European colonial powers struggled with rebuilding and gave their colonies independence.

Western Europe Rebuilds Some countries extended the welfare state and were accused of drifting towards socialism. During the 1980s and 1990s, some countries, such as Britain, elected conservative leaders who had denounced the welfare state.

Japan is Transformed After World War II, Japan became a parliamentary democracy. Japan quickly built modern factories and began to export vast quantities of goods. Its GDP climbed. At the same time it imposed tariffs on imports, which angered Americans who were paying for U.S. troops to defend Japan.