In several areas where problems in the United States today seem deeply entrenched, alumni were strongly confident that things would improve. A large percentage of respondents saw race relations as better in 2025 than they are now. By decisive margins, both older and younger alumni agreed that race relations were more likely to improve than to worsen. A similarly strong margin across both groups saw two other dominant issues at century's end - health care and education - as getting better.

The World of the Future

In contrast to their reflections on the successes of the twentieth century, HBS alumni optimism was guarded toward the coming years when viewing the future from a global perspective. Chief among several concerns was a worldwide rich/poor disparity, which respondents worried was "increasing at an increasing rate" and held "long-term consequences that could include overpopulation, war/terrorism, and environmental destruction." But one respondent asserted that "the gap may widen but the lot of the poor will improve enormously - is that 'worse'?"

Of a broad menu of issues, alumni saw many as being interrelated. "All other issues are either the result of or are materially affected by population growth," said one; another concurred, "Overpopulation contributes to environmental degradation. I'm pessimistic. I do not see a widely dispersed will and discipline to improve."

"At the current rate that the environment is deteriorating, it will exacerbate all other problems," said a respondent. Opined another, "Problems that have no owners - the environment and wealth disparities - will get worse, not better."

As for how specific issues will affect the United States in 25 years, alumni opinion was mixed. On the negative side, alumni were five times more likely to see public confidence in government as "the same or worse" in 2025 compared with today. Both older and younger alumni saw "values/morality" and "rich/poor disparity"as worsening significantly from 1999 levels. The outlook for the condition of the earth's environment was less clear, although younger alumni were more pessimistic about the environment than were their older colleagues.

Compared with the present day, the following U.S. issues 25 years from now will be...