How far did modernity impact on the USA in the 1920's?

by chrissy_1 (student)

How far did modernity impact on the 1920s?

The 1920s allowed Americans to create, reshape and improve their environment through advancements in technology, knowledge and experimentation. This is both progressive and optimistic, reflecting the idea of the American Dream and the motto ‘manifest destiny’.

During the 1920s, America experienced a decade of prosperity referred to as the Great economic boom. The majority of this was due to the strength of the industry and big business in America. In addition, big business could rely on the government as Republican presidents such as Calvin Coolidge created pro-business policies with the help of individuals like Andrew Mellon who were committed to cutting government intervention (laissez-faire) and keeping taxes low, therefore help big business to benefit in the long run. An example of this is Henry Ford who created the Ford T Model; a cheap, mass-produced car which cost $400, four months wages of an average worker and with new credit deals available every American family could afford to own one. Some historians have claimed that the full employment and low inflation of the 1920s was the best economic performance of any decade in the history of the USA, hence the name ‘the roaring twenties’.

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In the 1920s there was also a sense of optimism and enjoyment. This was due to the fact the that the majority of the Americans earned more pay for fewer hours of work, by 1920 real wages went up by 30% and annual income stood at $612. This highlighted the fact that people were generally living better, longer and had more money to spend on consumer goods. The 1920s become known as the golden age of advertisement as it encouraged spending power to grow causing people to indulge in fashion, cars, radio and household appliances. Furthermore, advancement was not only based on the Great Boom but also economic factors, reflected in the rise of leisure opportunities and mass entertainment in the Jazz Age with individuals such as Louis Armstrong. Also, cinema took off with silent films and sport with boxing, American football and baseball becoming national obsessions.

The 1920s also saw the creation of the New Woman. The highlight was women being given the right to vote through the Nineteenth Amendment on 18 August 1920. Women also gained new social freedoms which had a big impact on the changing image and roles of women. In addition, the increasing availability of electrical appliances to aid domestic labour within the household such as washing machines, electric irons and water heaters promised to help liberate millions of women from lives of drudgery. Furthermore, advertisements depicted women positively out with friends, enjoying themselves. However, it is arguable that with advancements in technology the need for domestic service staff disappeared meaning that now women were fully responsible for running the entire household; completely contradicting the idea of the ’new woman’.

Conversely, the economic boom of the 1920s was not experienced by all Americans as affluence was not evenly shared. Agriculture suffered during the 1920s as the older industries i.e. coal mining, railways and shoemaking experienced slowdowns because they were faced with foreign competition and undercut by expansion of new industries i.e. oil and concrete. The advancements in technology reduced the demand for skilled labour and this ensured that wages rose more slowly than profits and productivity. This then resulted in many unskilled workers facing hard living conditions. The 1920 census showed that less than half the people were living in rural areas and wealth was also shifting from staple crops to consumer industries. Furthermore, the boom ended after the First World War as Allies and the government stopped ordering wheat, resulting in it dropping to $1 for a bushel. The single biggest problem was overproduction as more was being produced due to fertilisers, pesticides and tractors. Prices remained low due to these efficiencies but debts remained the same. Farmers became dependent on these loans to cover their annual losses. In 1923, the government introduced the Agricultural Credits Act to make low-interest loans available. However, further attempts were blocked by President Calvin Coolidge.

The 1920s also saw the growth of organised crime as wherever there was urbanisation, crime bosses would fight to gain control of profits to be made from gambling, prostitution and protection rackets. Cities such as New York and Chicago became the establishments for particular immigrant groups such as the Italians or Irish-Americans. Organised crime gained acceptance and respect from Americans as effective enforcement became impossible due to small budgets compared with spending power of organised crime, Prohibition was opposed as there were willing consumers and policemen/public officials were ready to receive payoffs. The impact of organised crime on American society was significant in the 1920s because it blurred the boundaries between crime and decent society. Evidently, respect for the law was lessened. In addition, the way in which reports were presented in newspapers made gangsters appear like celebrities. The trend was then followed by the onset of films glorifying gangsters, which dominated cinemas in 1927.

In conclusion, the 1920s benefitted America greatly; socially and economically resulting in confidence in the economy, increased wages and consumer power. Also, there was increased freedom for big business, women resulting in social change. This far outweighed the negative effects faced by some during the 1920s i.e. farmers, rural communities.