TRADE & GROWTH IN THE 1950s

There is a widespread belief that the destruction of industry in Japan and Europe played a major role in US economic growth in the 1950s. While the war time destruction did play a role in the lack of competition in the 1950s, the data says that it did not make a significant contribution to real GDP growth. If you look at the real trade contribution to real gdp growth you find:

1950-59 -1.70
1960-69 +0.02
1970-79 +1.31
1980-89 -1.21