FRG: Standard Of Living Flashcards
State of living in 1945
War damage meant families were torn apart starving and homeless
Around 1/5 of all housing had been bombed and 1/3rd was still standing damaged.
Refugee influx led to even more housing pressure 
What did the Ministry of housing do when set up?
They were set up and overall rebuilding.
Rents frozen, and building industry given tax concessions
What effect had economic improvement had on standard of living?
Standards, by, 1963 and 1985
1963: 63% of homes had fridge, 42% had a TV, and 36% had a washing machine
1985: 82% of homes had a fridge, 82% had a TV and 87% had a washing machine
Real wages had kept ahead of prices through these periods so by the 1980s around 90% of all the people were covered by benefits and healthcare and people were spending more money .
How has social inequality depended?
Even during the most affluent period in the 1960s, 1% of all the households owned 35% of all the wealth.
By 1973, top percentage of all households owned 78% of the wealth, but dropped to 45% in 1988
How hard the increasing economic standards, change the temperament and attitudes of the people
The changes were revolutionary. In the late 1940s is most feared political change as they had experienced too much of it and wanted stability. But by the 1970s they change as they had a lot to lose.
Eg. by 1980 someone’s income was around six times when it had been in 1949, And by 1978, the proportion of personal income needed by an average wage journey, household for basing necessities had fallen from 74 to 46%.
