1. Making an Affluent Society
Truman and Eisenhower

2. G.I. Bill Servicemen’s Readjustment Act Provided funds to veterans
Establish businesses
Buy homes
Attend college
500,000 veterans enrolled in college by 1950
2,000,000 new homes constructed in 1950

3. The Fair Deal Expansion of Social Security Benefits*
Increase minimum wage
Full employment program
Public housing and slum clearance program* (National Housing Act)
Environmental and public works programs
National health insurance
Civil rights legislation

4. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Former commander of allied forces during WWII Elected President 1952
Promised to end Korean War
“Dynamic Conservatism”- balancing economic conservatism with activism where it was needed
Removed government price controls
Tax cuts
Decrease public service funds (housing, education, New Deal programs, etc.)

5. Federal Highway Act
Increased number of Americans who owned cars= need for more efficient travel routes
Federal Highway Act
$25 billion for a 10-year period
Construct over 40,000 miles of interstate highways
St. Lawrence Seaway built to connect Great Lakes to Atlantic Ocean

6. Social Security Extended Social Security benefits
Extended unemployment benefits
Raise minimum wage
Government aid to farmers

7. Growth of Suburbia Mass-produced suburbs- Levittown
Planned residential communities
Simple, similar-looking
Inexpensive
Thousands of families buy suburban homes
Number of suburban dwellers doubles
Wanted to escape crime and crowded cities
Better life for family
Affordability + tax advantages
Symbol of the American Dream

8. Baby Boom 1945-1961, over 65 million children born
Child born every 7 seconds
Returning soldiers marry, buy homes, start families
G.I. benefits for home ownership
Popular culture celebrated pregnancy, large families, and parenthood

9. Changing Workplace More Americans work in offices- “white collar”
“Blue collar”- factory workers
Rise of multinational corporations and franchises
Valued uniform look, behavior, and operation
Familiar and dependable
Conformity
Behavior
Do not speak out against company
Inner-directed vs. Other-directed
People judged themselves based on personal values -> people concerned with winning the approval of corporation or community
Personal with strong personality/ideas= threat

10. Consumerism Prosperity/Affluence- having a great deal of wealth/money
Incredible prosperity- wealthy, middle, and poor classes all experienced rise in income
“Economy of Abundance”
Plenty of everything
High standard of living
More disposable income for consumer goods
Refrigerators, washing machines, television sets, air conditioners, cars, vacuum cleaners, etc.
Advertising
Help sell to consumers
Consumer goods as status symbols