The Limits of Power

In “The Crisis of Profligacy” from “The Limits of power” by Andrew J. Bacevich answers the major question, what is power? Throughout the reading he brings up historic facts about the home of the free, America. He discusses the rights of Americans and what were able to do with our rights. He simply describes the American model as “shop till you drop “. He says most Americans have too much at the palm of their hands that they no longer have anything to satisfy them. According to him it wasn’t always like this, America has had its down time. Before World War II we had segregation and discrimination. Freedom for specific groups wasn’t an option. America wasn’t always a “utopia”, the home of the free and brave. It wasn’t always the “utopia” which includes the right to vote for African Americans and women. In fact before it got to where it is today, this “utopia”, it had to undergo struggles and fight for rights. Bacevich wanted to clarify that freedom is worth fighting for and is a right to be free. Andrew describes America as having to go through a phase of stages they were: “Freedom Decade” (civil rights moment), international relationships (gaining oil), and the “Empire of Production” period, (massive production). It is apparent that it took precious time for this country to develop itself.