Alan Philowitz takes readers through the history of the United States to present day issues facing the nation. The discussion that follows presents social, political, and economic research and opinions regarding these issues, and the unique challenges that they present to the nation in consideration of our past and the current state of globalization in the world. Western capitalism has created hypercompetition within the United States, and it will continue to force postsocialist states to adopt more capitalistic policies. Capitalism is not perfect, and it has resulted in losses by many. It, however, has given the United States and other Western nations a political and economic advantage over the entire globe.