domestic policy

Question 1

what was dynamic conservatism

Answer 1

‘conservative when it comes to money and liberal when it comes to people’

Question 2

eisenhowers dynamic conservatism

Answer 2

-believed in self-sufficiency
-disapproved of the new deal
-called himself a ‘liberal’ or ‘progressive’ republican

Question 3

why did the american economy grow?

Answer 3

-US emerged from WWII in far better economic shape than potential rivals
-US industry and transportation benefitted from cheap oil
-the increasing investment into research development led to scientific and technological advances that increased productivity
-population rose from 151.7 mil (1950) to 180.7 mil (1960)
-baby boom encouraged purchase of homes and childrens clothes

Question 4

construction boom

Answer 4

-housing shortage of trumans presidency continued
-of 13 mil homes constructed to met the demand between 1948-58, only 11 mil were built n the suburbs
-boom provided employment and fulfilled the american dream for many who loved the suburb life

Question 5

Cars

Answer 5

-industry employed tens of thousands of americans
-in 1955, 7.9 mil new cars were made
-industry contributed to the growth of service industries and the changing of the US workforce

Question 6

service industries

Answer 6

-growing car industries led to growth of motels, fast food outlets and shopping malls
-this contributed to the increasing number of service workers such as waitresses
-by 1960, the 7.6 mil service workers and 12.2 mil workers not in manual labour outnumbered 25.6 mil manual workers
-growing automation decreased need for manual workers
-proportion of industrial workers fell from 39% to 36%

Question 7

easy credit

Answer 7

-administration offered low interest loans to allow families to buy new houses
-cheap credit also helped by the first credit card
-private debt doubled from 104.8 bil to 263.3 by 1960 as people borrowed cars and fridges

Question 8

baby boom

Answer 8

-demand stimulated by baby boom which added millions of new population between 1946-59
-explosion of sales baby food, toys etc followed
-as late 1950s came the first of the boomers entered teenage years
-teenagers became a powerful economic force
-described as a ‘10 billion’ power as they spent on food, cosmetics and enternaiment

Question 9

impact of consumer society on teenagers

Answer 9

-gained huge freedoms and opportunities
-part time jobs offering them a considerable amount of disposable income to be spent on music, movies and clothes

Question 10

impact of consumer society on the rich

Answer 10

-rich grew richer

Question 11

impact of consumer society women

Answer 11

-many women had lost their jobs to accommodate men returning from war

Question 12

impact of consumer society on the elderly

Answer 12

-became increasingly isolated as families moved out of towns and into nuclear family units

Question 13

impact of consumer society on ethnic minorities

Answer 13

-situation was worse
-industrialisation made manual jobs redundant and many lost their job
-employment practices were often racist and those of an ethnic minority would be the first to be fired

Question 14

Eisenhower as a conservative

Answer 14

-excessive defence spending wastes money
-money was better spent on social provision
-registered pressure from ‘military-industrial complex’ to an extent
-strong economy on the basis of national security
-cut defence spending

Question 15

Eisenhower as a liberal

Answer 15

-10 mil people could claim social security benefits by 1954
-minimum wage raised from 75 cents to $1
-proposed finance for building more schools (blocked by congress)
-1958 national defence education act (loans for students in key subjects)