Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

This has absolutely no basis in fact.



Look at who the owners of breweries and distilleries were pre-Prohibition, and after. Before - small businesses, essentially micro-brewers, spread out across the country. After - Anheuser-Busch and a few others. QED.


Similarly, the purpose of World War 2 was to destroy other industrialized nations so that the United States could dominate the very lucrative world economy once peace was reattained.

Just look at who the world powers were pre-World War, and after.


Not the only purpose to be sure, however it was explicitly mentioned as a rationale for staying out of the European theater completely.

The idea was to allow Germany and Russia to slug it out, completely exhausting both countries.

See for example the views of Charles Lindbergh (search for Russia) : http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/lindbergh/sfeature/fallen.html

America's strength is why the USD became the reserve currency of the world. Note that the Bretton Woods conference was held in 1944, before the war ended: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bretton_Woods_system




Consider applying for YC's Spring batch! Applications are open till Feb 11.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: