The Impact of Affluence and Consumerism Flashcards
What was the most obvious sign of new affluence?
The surge of consumer goods such as televisions and washing machines that were bought on hire purchase.
What impact did the TV have?
ITV launched in 1955 - attracted consumers to its glossy adverts. TV was becoming more popular than radio.
By 1960 there were 10 million television sets in use.
Describe the boom in car ownership.
It rose by 25% between 1957-1959 and this led to more demand for roads and the novelty of the motorways.
Between 1957 and 1963, 1200 miles of new or upgraded main roads were completed.
What was there a greater availability of? Who provided it and what did it do?
Credit - provided by the banks and finance companies. It enabled people to borrow large sums of money that people would have to pay back later.
What happened to cars during 1950-1965?
The sales of private cars quadrupled from 1.5 million to 55 million.
Describe the Housing consumer boom.
Macmillan had achieved his goal of building 300,000 homes a year between 1951-1954.
The tories period of office between 1951-1964 saw the building of 1.7 million homes, 60% being private.
