The Second World War and the Growth of the Consumer Society, 1941-60 Flashcards
What did the number of families with an annual income of $2,000 fall by?
50%
What did real wages for workers in many industries rise by?
50%
What did the share of national wealth owned by the top 5% fall to?
from 23.7% to 16.8%
Unemployment rate in the 1940s:
Remained under 4%
Personal income in 1945 than in 1933:
4 times higher in 1945 than in 1933
GI Bill of Rights:
Offered free vocational training and higher education and contributed to a rise in those with a college education
How many homes had a TV in 1950, 1955, 1960?
1950 - 9%
1955 - 65%
1960 - 85%
How many broadcasting stations were there in 1948 vs in 1954?
1948 - 16
1954 - 354
Between 1939 and 1948, what did household appliance sales increase by?
500%
How many live births were there in the 1950s? and what did the number of maintain at until 1965?
- 3 million
- Stayed around the 4 million mark
By 1959, how much did toy manufacturers make?
$1.6 billion
How were women targeted?
Labour-saving devices
What did a 1959 survey show about teenage consumption?
They spent $10 billion a year
How many teenage car owners were there in 1959?
1.5 million
How much was spent on lipstick by teenagers?
$20 million
How much was spent on records by teenagers?
$75 million
How much more did teenagers eat out than parents?
20% more
During the Truman presidency, what did social service coverage extended to?
A further one million Americans
During the Truman presidency, what was the hourly minimum wage raised to?
45 cents to 75 cents
Form 1945 to 1960, how many Americans lived in poverty?
Nearly 1/3
How many were unemployed in the 1940s compared to before the Wall Street Crash?
10 million people still unemployed, compared to one million before the Crash
