15.1 Changes in working opportunities and living standards Flashcards
What happened to unemployment and real wages during the depression?
Unemployment reached 3 million by 1931 yet real wages increased in value and there was a general and ‘genuine’ increase in living standards.
What was the impact of the growth on household appliances?
Buying electrical goods became cheaper improving the life for women as some of the burden of housework was removed.
How did the nature of urban communities change after the depression?
There was a movement from inner cities to suburbs with new private housing with electricity, indoor toilets and hot running water
What did Rowntree’s 1936 York poverty survey?
Improvement overall
- ¾ of unemployed families lived in poverty
- Baseline increase; 3-shilling for semi-luxuries like beer
- Proportion of York’s population in primary/secondary poverty had fallen from 28% -> 18%
What happened to consumer spending in the 1930’s?
As there were lower prices this led to higher real wages and increased consumer spending
- Women bought cosmetics
- More money to spend on entertainment like cinemas