The Storm Before the Calm: America's Discord, the Coming Crisis of the 2020s, and the Triumph Beyond

George Friedman examines the future of the United States, predicting that the 2020s will bring significant upheaval and reshaping of American government, foreign policy, economics, and culture. Friedman analyzes American history through two major cycles: an eighty-year institutional cycle (exemplified by the Revolutionary War/founding, the Civil War, and World War II) and a fifty-year socio-economic cycle (marked by the formation of industrial classes, baby boomers, and the middle classes). Both cycles are converging in the late 2020s, a period when many foundational aspects of American society will change. During this time, the United States will face upheaval and possible conflict, but ultimately emerge with increased strength, stability, and power. Friedman's analysis addresses the size and scope of the federal government, the future of marriage and the social contract, shifts in corporate structures, and new cultural trends resulting from longer life expectancies.