Among the tragic and influential events that have altered the course of American society, the events of September 11th, 2001, remain one of the most seminal. Also known as the ‘9/11,’ the long-brewing attack on the Twin Towers forced many Americans to reconsider their perception of the safety that the government can provide (Gaibulloev & Sandler, 2019). It can be argued that nationwide changes commenced due to that reconsideration. Thus, this work’s research question asks how 9/11 altered American society’s socio-cultural, economic, and political dimensions. Ultimately, the 9/11 events brought a profound change to all aspects of society, creating heightened domestic security emphasis and ‘terrorism anxiety,’ resulting in policies designed to uphold American safety over privacy.
First, the literature reviews the socio-cultural aspect manifested on collective and individual levels. On the collective level, a shift occurred from prioritization of privacy to prioritization of safety: governmental structures were increasingly more willing to infringe on one’s privacy to surveil the actions of ‘high risk’ persons (Hahn, 2019). On the individual level, many Americans began to appreciate and emphasize their familial relations and friendships, gradually becoming more family-oriented (Gaibulloev & Sandler, 2019). Additionally, there was a shift in spirituality, with more people becoming religiously active and willing to live in the moment (Gaibulloev & Sandler, 2019). Thus, as with many shocking and traumatic events, the people and the government responded by focusing on safety and comfort.
As the government-oriented its efforts toward homeland security and surveillance, the economic stability has been impacted. The government’s economic response was to dissolve trading connections with Afghanistan and Iraq (Hahn, 2019). Consequently, the nation’s GDP decreased, and the unemployment rate exceeded the previously attained average (Gaibulloev & Sandler, 2019). However, the US has managed to recover from the dip in the economy and structure alternative imports by now.
Lastly, the long-term political effect of 9/11 is felt to this day. One of the most apparent changes manifested itself in the form of ethnic prejudice that stems from trauma-induced hatred toward Arabs. Since the US citizens hold the democratic power to influence legal processes, that prejudice has had a profound effect on internal and external politics in the form of sanctions and restrictions (Gaibulloev & Sandler, 2019). Some of these effects persist today, although the emphasis has weakened.
References
Gaibulloev, K., & Sandler, T. (2019). What we have learned about terrorism since 9/11. Journal of Economic Literature, 57(2), 275-328. Web.
Hahn, P. (2019). What caused 9/11 – and the consequences that linger. Ohio State Insight. Web.