Youth Culture And Consumerism

Question 1

Youth in the 20th Century

Answer 1

19th Century- invention of childhood as distinctive life stage
20th Century- expansion of education and extension of youth phase , culture strongly influenced by youth

Question 2

Wandervogel and Scouts

Answer 2

1880s- first scouting organisation- Boys Brigade
1901- foundation of ‘Wandervogel’ in Berlin
1903- Foundation of the ‘Boy Scouts’
Emphasis on outdoor activities and physical activity- similar to military training

Question 3

Youth in the Soviet Union

Answer 3

1918- foundation of All-Union Leninist Young Communist League
1922- Young Pioneer organisation- similar to Russian Scout Movement
Gradual preparation towards becoming members of the Communist Party

Question 4

Youth under Fascism

Answer 4

1930- League of German Girls
Organisation of leisure activities- camps, sports events
Emphasis on physical fitness and Nazi ideology

Question 5

Resistance to Nazi youth policies

Answer 5

Edelweiss Pirates- former members of Wandervogel and scouting groups- most executed in 1943/44
Swing Youth- small groups of youth illegally listening to swing and jazz music- deported to concentration camps

Question 6

Americanisation

Answer 6

Process of remodelling Western European societies to follow American Examples:
Capitalist Economy- Consumerism, Culture
‘Cultural Imperialism’

Question 7

Marshall Plan and American Troops

Answer 7

1947: beginning of European Recovery Programme
1945-49- CARE packages sent to Europe
1950s: 3 million American troops stationed in
Western Europe

Question 8

Jazz and Rock’n’Roll

Answer 8

Prohibited under Nazis and Fascists
Jazz promoted by American officials to win over European youth
1950s: Rock’n’Roll wave reaches Europe
Johnny Halliday- ‘French Elvis’

Question 9

Youth in Eastern Block

Answer 9

Post 1945- state-socialist countries establish Soviet-Style Youth Organisations
1970s and 80s- emergence of dissent subcultures; punk, skinhead and hip hop as forms of youth protest

Question 10

Coca Cola

Answer 10

1950s- ‘The Cold Revolution’ in France
Coke salesman wore uniforms similar to the army- possibly to remind the french the Americans liberated Paris
Coca-Cola Santa first created in 1930s
1960s- ‘Things go better with Coke’ jingle became a national hit