The Great Decoupling (1968-1973)
Definition: The specific historical window when American society underwent phase transition across multiple domains simultaneously.
The Timeline
| Year | Event | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Engel v. Vitale | Prayer removed from schools |
| 1963 | Abington v. Schempp | Bible reading removed |
| 1968 | Assassinations, riots | Trust collapse begins |
| 1970 | No-fault divorce (CA) | Family structure breaks |
| 1971 | Nixon ends gold standard | Economic decoupling |
| 1973 | Roe v. Wade | Life-choice decoupling |
| 1973-74 | Watergate | Political trust collapse |
The Nine Domains
All show structural breaks in this same window:
- Family structure
- Religious participation
- Educational outcomes
- Economic indicators
- Trust metrics
- Crime rates
- Mental health
- Semantic patterns
- Constitutional practice
Related
- Phase Transition - the theoretical framework
- Drift - what accumulated before
- Coherence - what was lost