The Storm Before the Calm: America’s Discord, the Coming Crisis of the 2020s, and the Triumph Beyond

An illuminating, provocative new book by the master geopolitical forecaster George Friedman predicts that the 2020s will bring to the United States dramatic upheaval and reshaping of government, foreign policy, economics, and culture. Examining the cycles through which the nation has developed, matured, and solidified, Friedman breaks down the coming years in thrilling detail. Friedman argues that American history is governed by an eighty-year “institutional cycle” that has defined the nation politically, and a fifty-year “socio economic cycle” that has seen the formation of the industrial classes, baby boomers, and the middle classes. These cycles are converging-the nation will have to endure upheaval and possible conflict as these foundations change, but will ultimately emerge stronger and more stable. Friedman’s analysis covers the size and scope of the federal government, the future of marriage and the social contract, shifts in corporate structures, and new cultural trends based on longer life expectancies. The result is a riveting account of current circumstances and the political upheavals that will pave the way for a new era of American prosperity and power. With a unique Australian foreword encompassing COVID-19, The Storm Before the Calm reveals where America is today, and where it is heading.