One possibility is to put your character in an everyday situation and have him/her reflect back on the way it used to be compared with the way it is now. For example, a trip to a grocery store, movie theater, government office for a driver's license/food stamps/medicare, etc.
I could imagine that by taking your character through a shopping trip, you could tell the tale of the economy. By going to the movies, your character could discuss the social impact on society (watching Star Wars would never be the same again). I could also imagine a character who must visit a government office caught up in a discussion about the changes to the political situation.
By doing it this way, it takes the character and your reader to a more personal level.
