This new edition of History of the American Economy was deemed necessary because of the continued advance of research in economic history and the rapid changes unfolding in the United States and global economies. The struggle of many nations to convert from centrally controlled to market-led economies in recent decades, the rapid economic expansion of India and China, and the growing economic integration in Europe invite new perspectives on the historical record of the American economy. Moreover, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have created enduring challenges for the United States. The financial crisis of 2008 and the slow climb back to full employment have reawakened concerns about stability of the financial system, about the level of economic inequality, and prospects for economic growth that have not been seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s. To properly convey the speed of change of American lifestyles and economic well-being, chapter 1 begins with a focus on twentieth-century American life, mostly but not entirely economic. The purpose is to show how dramatically different the way we live today is compared with the times of our grandparents and great-grandparents. The remarkable contrasts in living standards, length of life, and how we work and consume from 1900 to the present provide a “wake-up call” for the nation on the changes soon to unfold in our lives and in the lives of generations to come. This wake-up call serves a vital purpose:preparation for the future. As Professor Deirdre McCloskey admonishes us in her book Second Thoughts, in preparing for the future we best arm ourselves with a good understanding of the past.

由于经济史研究的不断进步以及美国和全球经济的迅速变化，这本新版的《美国经济史》被认为是必要的。许多国家为从中央集权制转变而进行的斗争。近几十年来，印度和中国经济迅速扩张，欧洲经济日益一体化，这些都为美国经济的历史记录带来了新的视角。此外，9月的恐怖袭击 ，2001年11月11日，关于世界贸易中心和五角大楼以及随后发生的阿富汗和伊拉克战争给美国带来了持久的挑战。2008年的危机和恢复充分就业的缓慢复苏，重新唤起了人们对金融体系稳定性、经济不平等程度和经济增长前景的担忧，这些担忧是自20世纪30年代大萧条以来从未见过的。为了恰当地传达美国生活方式和经济福祉的变化速度，第一章从二十世纪美国人的生活开始，主要但不是全部经济的。我们的目的是展示我们今天的生活方式与我们的祖父母和曾祖父母的时代相比是多么的不同。从1900年到现在，在生活水平、寿命长短以及我们的工作和消费方式上的巨大反差，为国家敲响了警钟，提醒我们的生活和未来几代人的生活即将发生的变化。这个警钟有一个重要的目的：为未来做准备。正如Deirdre McCloskey教授在《第二次思考》一书中告诫我们的那样，在为未来做准备时，我们最好用对过去的理解武装自己。