"Land of Promise: An Economic History of the United States," by Michael Lind
Jeff Glor talks to Michael Lind about "Land of Promise: An Economic History of the United States."
Jeff Glor: What inspired you to write the book?
Michael Lind: In several of my previous books, including "The Next American Nation" (1995) and "What Lincoln Believed" (2004), I discussed the fact that political reform in the United States tends to be clustered in eras of rapid change, like the Civil War and Reconstruction and the New Deal and World War II. I wrote "Land of Promise" to explore the relationship between waves of change in politics and successive waves of innovation in technology and the economy.
JG: What surprised you the most during the writing process?
ML: I was surprised to learn just how extensive federal support for technological development and economic growth in the U.S. has been, all the way back to the Founding era. The involvement of the federal government in individual economic welfare began on a large scale in the 1930s, but from the administration of George Washington onward, the federal government has taken a leading role in promoting science, technology, and infrastructure investment.
JG: What would you be doing if you weren't a writer?
ML: I might have been a professor. I enjoy teaching and have taught at Harvard , Johns Hopkins and Virginia Tech.
JG: What else are you reading right now?
ML: Writing "Land of Promise" deepened my interest in the politics and economics of the 18th century in both Europe and the Americas. I'm reading about the Seven Years War, known as the French and Indian War in America.
JG: What's next for you?
ML: The Economic Growth program that I help to direct at the New America Foundation, a Washington think tank that I co-founded, will do its best to make sure that the story of the American economy I tell in "Land of Promise" has a happy sequel! And I will continue to take part in public debate, with the help of my weekly column in "Salon" and publications in other venues.
For more on "Land of Promise," visit the Harper Collins website.
For more books news, click here.
