Blame it on the boogie. Donald Trump’s path to fame began in the 1970s. Marked by political, economic and social upheavals, the decade was a formative one for the president—and for America. Our Lexington columnist explains.  

Looking further back, this week in The Economist’s Archive 1945, you can explore the ads that companies placed in our pages 80 years ago. The second world war was tough on British businesses. Much of the stuff they sold before the war could no longer be produced, as the country redirected all its resources to supporting the war effort.