Chapter 28: The Affluent Society Flashcards
Economic Growth (1945 - 1960)
took place between 1945 and 1960
unemployment under 5%, gross national product grew by 250%
caused by government spending in schools, housing, welfare, etc. and military spending for the Korean War
baby boom
importance: contributed to increased consumer demand and expanding economic growth, growth which had put US citizens at the highest standard of living of any society in history of the world
baby boom began during the war and peaked in 1957
national population rose 20% from 1950 to 1960
“sunbelt” (modern West)
by the 1960’s, the west’s population expanded, cities boomed, industrial economy flourished
pre WWII - the West had been appendage of the East (providing agriculture, raw materials), but by the 1960’s, some parts had become most important industrial and cultural centers of the nation
this was result of 1. federal spending and investment in dams, highways 2. state governments investing in universities (The UC system) 3. migrants come for warm climate
Keynesian economics
British economist John Maynard Keynes had argued as early as 1920’s that by varying the flow of government spending and taxation and managing the supply of currency, the government could stimulate the economy to cure recession and dampen growth to prevent inflation
by mid 1950’s, it became a fundamental article of faith, and Keynesian economics was used in 1963 when Lyndon Johnson put it to use and it worked
importance: reflected the newfound national confidence in the economy, in contrast to the doubt about the viability of capitalism during the depression.
“escalator clause”
a clause in a lease or contract that guarantees a change in the agreement price once a particular factor beyond control of either party affecting the value has been determined. An important example of this is a contract that adjusts for inflation
1948 - Walter Reuther, president of the United Automobile Workers, (union advocate), obtained a contract from GM with a built in escalator clause
by mid 1950’s, factory wages in all industries had risen substantially
“postwar contract”
by early 1950’s - new kind of relationship between workers and employers known as postwar contract
workers in large unionized industries receiving increases in wages and benefits, in return, the unions agreed to refrain from raising other issues such as the voice/opinions of workers, making strikes less frequent
AFL-CIO
a merge between the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations, ending 22 year rivalry in 1955
importance: economic success of 1950’s helped pave way for reunification of labor movement
hydrogen bomb & missiles
In 1952, US detonated the first hydrogen bomb
hydrogen bomb derives power from fusion (joining of lighter atomic elements with heavier ones), not fission (splitting of atoms)
this development gave impetus to a stalled scientific project in both the US and USSR - the effort to develop unmanned rockets and missiles capable of carrying new weapons, which were not suitable for delivery by airplanes, to their targets
US developed a new generation of missile, known as Minuteman, with range of several thousand miles, became basis of US atomic weapons arsenal
US also developed missile capable of being carried and fired by submarine - named Polaris
Sputnik
1957 - name of the earth-orbiting satellite that the USSR put into outer space
origins of US space program traced to this event
importance: US reacted to this Soviet achievement as a US failure, and triggered US improvement in scientific education, more research laboratories, speedier development of US’s own exploration.
1958 - US launched its first satellite, Explorer
National Aeronautics and Space Admin. (NASA)
tbd
Federal Highway Act of 1956
appropriated $25 billion for highway construction, was one of the most important alterations of the national landscape in modern history
importance of prevalence of automobile:
provided links to every major city, dramatically reduced the time necessary to travel from one place to another, made travel by automobile, truck, and bus faster than trains, resulting in steady decline of railroads
highways encouraged movement of economic activities (manufacturing) out of cities and into suburban/rural areas where land was cheaper
made it easier for families to move into homes that were far away from where they worked
created more motels, fast-food chains along highways
Levittown & suburbs
by 1960, 1/3 of nation’s population lived in suburbs
Levittowns:
William Levitt used new mass-production techniques to construct large housing development on long island
towns consisted of several thousands 2 bedroom houses, same interior, varying exteriors, treeless streets (ew), which made low-cost houses meet an enormous demand from young couples for housing
Why did so many people want to move to suburbs?
larger homes than they could afford in the cities
live in community populated by people of similar age and background, forming easier friendships
race: when black population of cities was rapidly growing, white families moved to suburbs to escape integration of urban neighborhoods and schools
suburban hierarchy:
levittowns = homes of lower-middle-class
other more affluent suburbs for wealthier families
Dr. Benjamin Spock
wrote Baby and Childcare in 1946, one of the most influential books in postwar American life
approach to raising babies was child-centered, rather than parent centered, making purpose of motherhood solely to help the children reach their full potential. mothers own physical and emotional needs are subordinate to the child’s
effect: women who could afford not to work faced pressure to remain in the home and focus on raising their child. HOWEVER, many middle class families needed 2nd income in order to keep up with consumer culture, maintain a higher standard of living. THEREFORE, women working outside the home increased in post war years despite social pressure, 1960: 1/3 of all married women were part of paid workforce.
television
most powerful medium of mass communication in 2nd half of 20th century. central to culture of postwar era.
emerged out of the radio industry. sponsors often played a direct, powerful, and continuing role in determining content of programs.
impact on American life was rapid, pervasive, profound:
replaced newspapers, magazines, radios as most important vehicle of information.
advertising, athletic events
created a common image of US ife: white, middle class, suburban (Leave it to Beaver)
reinforced gender roles (Father Knows Best)
but also conveyed other images of gritty working class, but in a warm, unthreatening way (I Love Lucy)
while it reinforced homogeneity of white middle class, it contributed to sense of alienation and powerlessness among excluded groups
recreational environmentalism
idea of traveled entered US life in 1920’s, but not until post war was vacation truly widespread (interstate highway contributed dramatically)
surge in travel visible in National Parks: traveling there for hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, but also just looking at landscape rather than recreation
fight to preserve Echo Park: against building a dam to create lake for recreation and hydroelectric power. environmental movement had been relatively quiet since the lost fight for Hetch Hetchy Valley at Yosemite (during TR’s presidency), but this fight helped rouse from slumber
1956 - Congress bowed to public pressure and blocked the project, preserving Echo Park
importance: impetus to environmental consciousness that would become so important in later decades.
The Organization Man
book written in 1956 by William H. Whyte Jr. which attempted to describe the special mentality of the worker in a large, bureaucratic setting. He claimed that self-reliance was losing place to the ability to get along and work as a team, more concern with winning approval of larger organization/community
reflected the statistic that white collar workers were outnumbering blue collar workers for 1st time in 1950’s, working in corporate settings with rigid hierarchical structures
