How to Save the World

This blog was started so I could put down my thoughts on Robert Trancinski's "What Went Right" series of articles. I believe I finally understand what he is saying, and the next series of posts will comment on his theory. But first, a summary of my views:

What Went Wrong?:  Starting around the beginning of the 20th century and getting a big push from Woodrow Wilson, America turned away from the Founding Fathers' vision of America and turned toward socialism. Up through the 1970s, America went through three waves of liberalism spearheaded by Wilson, FDR and Johnson. Their policies resulted in a weak America, both economically and morally.

The "Standard" Objectivist View:  Ayn Rand, looking at America from the 1930s (FDR) through the 1960s (LBJ) and 70s (Carter), saw an America on the decline. This decline correlated well with the disintegration of philosophy as a serious subject into irrationalism and subjectivism. Ayn Rand predicted further decline for America based on the trends she observed (up until her death in 1982). Leonard Peikoff and others have continued to promote this view.

What Went Right?:  Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher brought back capitalism in the 1980s. Their stand against communism led to the fall of the Soviet Union and laid bare the stark contrast between the two systems. The fall of communism helped the spread of global capitalism; for example, China moved toward a market economy, and Nelson Mandela, as new president of South Africa in 1992, turned the country toward free markets.

How to Save the World:  Promote capitalism. George Reisman has some good ideas on how to do this.