The USA developed the way it has because there is tons of open space available and as shocking as it may be to some of the current generation, people like ownin

The USA developed the way it has because there is tons of open space available and as shocking as it may be to some of the current generation, people like owning their own home and little plot of land and a car. FTA: Discover what consumers want to buy and give it to them with both barrels explains almost everything. Note that "what they want to buy" isn't necessarily what they like the best or without influence. As you've noted, governments and other lobbyists can have an impact. McDonalds used to fry their french fries in beef lard. It made for crispy fries and it tasted good. The government and their subsidized agitators such as the CSPI got involved and started telling everyone that animal fat was bad. McDonalds switched to a vegetable/seed oil blend that is actually worse for you to eat and also produces an inferior product -- but so strong was the "no saturated fat" activism that they gave consumers what they were asking for even when blind taste-tests showed that they liked something else better.