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NOTE Paragraph

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The last three decades of the

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20th century were shaped by
three fundamental challenges

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that arose in the late 1960s.
The first was a crisis of political

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leadership. Public cynicism
toward politicians intensified.

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Political party discipline declined,
lobbies and special interest groups

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grew in power. The second challenge
involved wrenching economic

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transformations. Economic growth
slowed. Inflation and oil prices soared.

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Family incomes stagnated, and major
industries faltered in the face

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of foreign competition, and the
third challenge involved growing

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uncertainty over America's role
in the world. The nation's

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international prestige and global
influence faced mounting public

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opposition in the wake of Vietnam.
The end of the Cold War unleashed

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violent ethnic, religious, and national
conflicts, especially in the Balkans,

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the Middle East, and Africa.
International instability was on

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the rise as the United States
became the world's singular superpower.

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With the world's most productive
economy and military might,

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the United States dominated global
trade and banking, and it's popular

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culture was influential across much
of the globe. The presidencies of

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Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush,
and Bill Clinton, along with the

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resurgence of the American economy
during the 1990s seemed to bring

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a new age of American prosperity
and stability.