WTF Happened in 1971?: The Day the American Dream Decoupled.

from Ctrl Alt Society · host Halifax Studios

Look at any chart of the American economy, and you’ll see it: a clean, parallel climb of productivity and wages from 1948 to 1971. Then, suddenly, the lines break. Productivity keeps soaring (+238%), while hourly compensation flatlines (+109%).What changed? In 1971, Nixon removed the gold standard, triggering a systemic reset that we are still living through today. In this episode of Ctrl Alt Society, we put on our economist hats to deconstruct "The Great Decoupling."

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 20, 2026

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WTF Happened in 1971?: The Day the American Dream Decoupled.

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