A History of Budgetary Politics in the United States

Abstract

The sheer carnage seen during the American Civil War and World War I was unparalleled, with both conflicts originating from decades of brewing tension between radically incompatible ideologies that quickly erupted from a few small scrimmages to total warfare. Any numerical analysis of either war would do little justice to the vast number of casualties maintained by either side and the societal ramifications such loss of life and collateral damage had on communities in the decades to follow. Yet, it is equally essential to recognize that war brings about economic revival and resolves domestic and political economic impasses that were previously deemed insoluble (Luce 1891). Such dire circumstances compel leaders to generally set aside partisan politics and to institute policies to fund the war effort.