Consumerism in the 1950’s was a time of abundance. The American Heritage Dictionary states consumerism is, “the concept that an ever-expanding consumption of goods is advantageous to the economy. Consumerism is the increasing consumption of goods” (American Heritage, 2005). Consumerism encourages consumers to purchase goods and services in greater amounts. The emphasis would be on consumption which is the theory that a progressively greater consumption of goods is economically beneficial. This paper will focus on why consumption was important, the people that were involved, and the impact it had on America and the World in the 1950’s. Immediately, after World War II the United States witnessed a significant expansion in the consumption of goods and services. In the 1950’s there was a time of abundance and expanded consumption of all goods that was spurred on by a rise in overall prosperity in the U.S. Luxury and discretionary income spending during the postwar era rose over more than 50%. Consumerism had a large impact on the American economy. The “GNP rose by 36% and personal consumption expenditures by 42%, cumulative gains which were reflected in the incomes of families and unrelated individuals” (Boundless Educations, 2014). At the end of the decade, American Family had 30% more purchasing power than at the beginning. Furthermore, Americans achieved a level of prosperity during the Eisenhower era that they had never known before. While other parts of the world struggled to rebuild from the devastation of World War II, citizens of the United States saw their standard of living surpass what previous generations had only dreamed about. Many new consumers was now in the economy and for the first time Americans were now ... ... middle of paper ... ... goods as citizens turned away from older notions of thrift and began to buy on credit. While other parts of the world struggled to rebuild from the devastation of World War II, citizens of the United States saw their standard of living surpass what previous generations had only dreamed about. Works Cited McDonald, M. (1999). A history of shopping binges. (cover story). U.S. News & World Report, 126(20), 50. Boundless Educations, Inc. (2014). The Culture of Abundance and Consumerism. In Boundless Educations. Retrieved February 23, 2014, from https://www.boundless.com/u-s-history/ the –politics-and-Culture-of-abundance-1943-1960/the-culture-of. The American Heritage, . (2005). consumerism. In The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy (3rd ed.). Retrieved February 24, 2014, from http://dictionary.reference.com/cite.html?qh=st&ia=ahcl.
However, American consumerism was praised as contributing to the ultimate success of the American way of life. People wanted televisions, cars, washing machines, refrigerators, toasters, and vacuum cleaners (PBA). Between 1945 and 1949, Americans purchased 20 million refrigerators, 21.4 million cars, and 5.5 million stoves (PBS).... ... middle of paper ...
The growth that happened before the 1920’s made it possible for the U.S. to become a consumer-based society ("The Rise of Industrial America, 1877-1900”). “Buy now, pay later,” became the main slogan of the twenties when credit was introduced into the market. Companies wanted middle class families to be able to afford the leisure’s of life just like the upper class. This idea was transformed into “credit.” Department Stores took part in this idea from the start along with installment plans.
Van Den Haag, Ernest. "Conspicuous Consumption of Self". National Review VI (April 11, 1959): 656-658.
During the last 40 years of the nineteenth century the United States became the worlds greatest economic power. The rapid rate of economic growth happened for a
The bureaucratization of business in the 1920’s meant that more people could be employed in higher paying white-collar jobs than before, including, for the first time, housewives. This new income combined with the reduced prices for goods that resulted from mechanized production, assembly lines and a general decrease in the cost of technology created a thriving consumerist middle class that went on to fuel the economy in all sectors, especially the upper classes. Likewise, during World War II Americans saved up around 150 billion dollars, and this sum combined with the income of the GI Bill allowed normal people to buy expensive things, from houses to cars to electronics to education at a rapid rate, fueling the trademark prosperity of the 1950’s. The new automobile culture of the 50’s spawned new businesses that catered to mobile Americans, such as nicer and more standardized hotels like Holiday Inn, and drive-up restaurants like McDonalds. Just as the culture of the 1920’s was transformed by modernist ideas, the world of the 1950’s was reinvigorated by the introduction of the automobile to the middle class....
With World War II bringing thousands of men back to America seeking new lives and opportunities, the US experienced an economic expansion like it had never seen before. During the middle of the twentieth century wages increased 22%, family income went up from $3,000 to $5,400, and the Gross National Product increased from $206 billion to $440 billion. In order for the country to meet the demands of the massive consumptions of the American people, industries had to expand and create more efficient ways of selling there products through advertisements, which as a result provided citizens with more job opportunities.
After World War I, new technological improvements helped factories to produce higher quantities of goods using smaller amounts of employees. Fewer workers meant less money being redistributed to the consumers to purchase products. America didn’t have a necessity for this higher quantity of goods with less people receiving paychecks. Thusly, the age-old system of supply and demand began to wither because there were too many products with too few people who could afford them.
During the aftermath of World War I great change was happening to America’s society. Of the nations that were involved in the worldwide conflict from 1914 to 1918 no other nation experienced prosperity socially, politically, and economically as quickly as did the United States of America. The middle-class American suddenly became the most important component to the growth of the American economy. As the purchase of luxuries, the automobile in particular, became more available to middle-class, opportunity in the housing and labor industries expanded.
Victory in the Great War allowed the United States to rise as one of the dominant powers in world affairs. As soldiers returned home, there was a new sense of hope and prosperity. This aura, driven by money and wealth acquired from the war, was the basis of the 1920s. The 1920s is attributed to be the “Golden Age” of America as business prospered, innovations arose, and the standard of living boomed. The change in the standard of living induced drastic evolvement in the class system of America. There were 2 major classes in the 1920s: the upper class and the lower class. There was no in between, one was either fortunate to be wealthy, or attempting to gain the fortune to be wealthy. This stark division was the source of the drastic change for
Franklin Roosevelt’s “optimism and activism that helped restore the badly shaken confidence of the nation” (pg. 467 Out of Many), was addressed in the New Deal, developed to bring about reform to the American standard of living and its low economy. It did not only make an impact during the Great Depression. Although, many of the problems addressed in the New Deal might have been solved, those with the long lasting effect provide enough evidence to illustrate how great a success the role of the New Deal played out in America’s history to make it what it is today.
America was on fire during the period of excitement. These new inventions were making home life easier for women and more enjoyable for the men. Not only were American families buying these new trinkets but they also started purchasing stock in companies at an increased rate. A commodity that was available before the war but not readily accessed, now became as high as seven million Americans buying and owning company stock after the First World War. With the purchase of automobiles, washing machines, and stock families were still not making enough to keep up. Even though the wage market had increased, the need for fancy things made it almost impossible for a family to have enough money left over to survive. This demand for the goods but not enough money produced a technique used by manufactures to bring in more customers, consumer credit. Today this method of shopping is used by every American everywhere at some point in their lives. Consumer credit is what is known today as a payment plan. A buying strategy that we all use today, payments, actually came about in the decade after World War I.
During the Golden Age of Capitalism in America even the President enjoyed some leisure time. At the end of WWII the standards of living was up, unemployment was low and the American GNP more than doubled. The population boomed leading suburban living to become the norm. Jack Straus, the chairman of the board of Macy’s, declared “Our ability to consume is endless. The luxuries of today are the necessities of tomorrow.” This became the thinking of the time. Citizens lavished in the new life style of ease that a growing economy could now provide for the average, working, middle class person.
The North American population experienced what is known as the “Baby boom” – an 18-year period of rapid population growth from 1946 to 1964. During this period, many children were born in the same period before or after. During the post-war years, the United States embarked on one of its greatest periods of economic expansion. Many Americans enjoyed economic prosperity. However, the United States has changed since 1950.
After World War I and during the 1920s, America’s economy was growing to be the best in the world. Consumerism had led to the increase in purchases made by Americans and the amount of products that had been produced. Some of the consumer goods that were now in demand had included the automobile,
A major powerhouse that pushed the boundaries during the early 20th century—especially during the 1920s—was the United States. After coming out of World War I victorious and with relatively little losses, the United States’ post-war economy was the epitome of consumerism. As the cost of production continued to drop, items once thought of as a luxury, such as vehicles, became within the price range of everyday consumers. The trend began when Henry Ford created the assembly line and continued to pick up momentum as the century progressed.