People had money! Saved during war; now spend! Global stabilization through Bretton Woods System Created World Bank loans for developing nations International Monetary Fund (IMF) Stabilized currencies; dollar is base for currency No gold standard General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) regulate trade practices Focused on economic globalization Benefitted America!
Impact American Gross National Product 1945 = $213 billion 1960 = $500 billion 1970 = $1 trillion Real income growth increased 25% from 1946 to 1959 Home ownership increased Inflation was 2-3% until the mid-1960’s HOWEVER... Unequal distribution of wealth Occasional recessions throughout 50’s and 60’s Almost 25% living in poverty (1957)
Military-Industrial Complex Permanent military buildup Large gov’t contracts to private companies Science & technological research & development
Corporate Changes Consolidation Diversification Conglomerates Combination of unrelated companies Push into foreign markets Focus on planning, marketing, and investment
Growth of white collar work Bureaucrats veterans (G.I. Bill) BUT... “organization man” Dehumanized individual for conformity “you can wear any color shirt you want, so long as it’s white”
Role of women More working Stereotypical jobs (mostly) Role of Labor AFL and CIO merge (1955) Unions gaining rights Had to fight Taft-Hartley Act
Role of agriculture More mechanized Fewer workers needed Cost increases Fewer family farms; more corporate farms
Movement of people The Sun Belt south/west defense industries Led to racial issues and crime increase
Movement of people Suburbs Arthur Levitt: buying up land outside cities tract houses assembly line techniques
Whites only! young couples with families WWII vets working in corporate America Added to conformity “Suburbia” watch?v=P8JidxDkg0k watch?v=P8JidxDkg0k
With the move to Suburbia... Poor and minorities left in inner cities Decay of inner cities More growth in the interstate freeway system More cars Growth of franchises
Growth of state/local governments Increase of government jobs Disparity between local governments Suburbs = more income larger tax base fund services better (schools, police, fire, water, sewer, etc.) Cities = less income smaller tax base Couldn’t fund services as well Suburbs unwilling to give up autonomy or revenue
People are buying! What are they buying? New appliances Cars TV’s Travel Freeways made it easier Disneyland “Keeping up with the Joneses” Planned obsolescence
THREE channels! (If you were lucky, maybe FOUR) Wholesome family shows! Father Knows Best Comedies! I Love Lucy Children’s shows! The Mickey Mouse Club Also westerns, quiz shows Changed format of radio to music Played on stereotypes of the day
Women of 50’s had (on average) one more child than women of 30’s People marrying younger Greater sense of safety and security Economic disease Penicillin Polio vaccine (1954)
Largest generation of Americans (20 th century) Emphasis on education Building of schools Expectation of college Dr. Spock – child rearing Don’t be overprotective Be available for children’s needs Don’t be overly punishing – let them make mistakes
Be married, have lots of babies, take care of husband and family Fulfilling? Other options? “feminine mystique” lead lives fulfilling for THEM Book by Betty Friedan Clashed with cultural norms
In the workplace More worked Many had service sector jobs/white collar work Higher levels of education helped Clash between feminists and traditionalists Working women 1940 – 15% 1960 – 30% 1970 – 40%
Some are NOT happy with conformity
“Birth” of the teenager? Had own money Targeted by advertisers Adults concerned Lack of respect Rebelliousness James Dean Rebel Without a Cause
Teen music Combined Rockabilly Country and western Jazz Rhythm and blues Began as “black” music Looking for “white performer who sounded black” "The King" of Rock & Roll Concern with juvenile delinquency associated with teen rebellion
Opposed conformity Generally wore black Into poetry, jazz Famous novel On the Road by Jack Kerouac m/watch?v=_MjPtem6Z bE&feature=related m/watch?v=_MjPtem6Z bE&feature=related Beatniks of 50’s will become hippies of 60’s
Hugh Hefner founded Playboy in 1953 Violated most obscenity laws