Question

During the 1990s, the nation began to experience the longest period of economic expansion in its history. For nearly 10 years, job growth increased and the deficit shrank. Increased tax revenue and budget cuts turned the annual national budget deficit around. It went from $290 billion in 1992 to a record budget surplus of more than $230 billion in 2000. Reduced government borrowing freed up capital for private sector use. Lower interest rates fueled more growth. During the Clinton years, more people owned homes than ever before in the country’s history. Inflation dipped to 2.3 percent. The unemployment rate declined, reaching a 30-year low of 3.9 percent in 2000.

In 1999, Clinton signed the Financial Modernization Act. Among other things, this act finally repealed the Glass-Steagall Acts that had been in place since the Great Depression. The Financial Modernization Act of 1999 was a continuation of the financial market deregulation that had begun in the 1970s, easing many of the restrictions and controls that the government had put in place with regard to financial institutions. In particular, the Financial Modernization Act ended the separation between commercial and investment banks, and it also allowed banks and other financial institutions to affiliate with each other. The belief held by many was that if the governmental controls of the economy were removed, the economy would grow. As deregulation progressed, the economy did grow. While these changes and deregulation did have benefits, there were also serious abuses that took place as a result of reduced regulation.Globalization characterized the 1990s. As trade barriers melted away through agreements like NAFTA, goods and technology became more available. With use of the internet, people and places were more accessible worldwide. News traveled from place to place quickly. Improved communication networks and trade agreements meant that companies could more easily operate at sites far distant from one another. A company with headquarters in the United States could manufacture its products in countries with lower labor costs and import them quickly and cheaply for sale back at home.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, computer manufacturers began offering fully assembled personal computers. In short order, computers became fairly common in businesses and upper-middle-class homes. Apple, Commodore, and Tandy offered computer owners, even children, their own electronic bulletin board systems. They were small-scale networks that used modems and phone lines. Sharing information was then possible in ways not dreamed of just a few decades before. Computers, it seemed, held the promise of a bright, new future for those who knew how to use them.

Much of the prosperity of the 1990s was related to technology. New information systems were booming. In 1994, Clinton’s administration became the first to launch an official White House website. By the 1990s, a new world of global connectivity was at the fingertips of billions through the internet. The groundwork for personal computers and the internet was laid in the 1960s with large investments by the Department of Defense. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s and 1990s that these technologies became part of everyday life. As with many transforming periods, the information age was greeted with a mixture of hope and anxiety.

Watch the video about the growth of technology. As you watch, think about how this new technology affected society.In 3–5 sentences, explain the United States’ role in global conflict during Bill Clinton’s administration, and evaluate whether the administration was successful at achieving its goals. Choose 1–2 examples to support your response.

Answer 1

During Bill Clinton’s administration, the United States played a significant role in global conflict resolution and humanitarian intervention, notably through engagement in conflicts in the Balkans and Africa. One key example was the NATO-led intervention in Kosovo in 1999, which aimed to stop ethnic cleansing and restore stability in the region; this action was generally viewed as successful, as it led to the eventual withdrawal of Serbian forces and helped establish a peace accord. Another example is the U.S. involvement in the Rwandan genocide, which exposed limitations in U.S. intervention policy as Clinton’s administration faced criticism for its inaction during the crisis. Overall, while Clinton's administration achieved notable successes in some areas, it also grappled with failures, particularly in timely humanitarian responses, reflecting a complex balance between achieving goals and addressing moral responsibilities on the global stage.