General Discussion
Showing Original Post only (View all)To those DU'ers who lived through the "Golden Age of Capitalism" (1940s to 1970s)-some questions... [View all]
What were the main differences between that time and the present day? In what ways has American society improved since then, and in what ways has American society gotten worse?
From what I've head from my parents and grandparents, life was "simpler" back then, certainly compared to the present day. There was more economic security (job security, the social "safety net", rising wages and amazing economic growth), a stronger sense of community (particularly at the local, neighborhood level), and more optimism about the way America was going, which was connected to a greater trust in the ability of America's institutions (government, business, media, etc.) to solve problems and lead the nation forward.
Of course, we cannot forget the darker sides of the Post-WWII era. For much of that time, black Americans and other racial minorities had few political rights and freedoms at all. There was still plenty of poverty and generally grim conditions in certain parts of America, especially in the inner cities (where African-Americans were concentrated). And I don't think anyone on a forum like this would actually argue a return to the 1950s sexually conformist gender roles. Not to mention, the Cold War was horrible on a number of different levels.
I think the fact that the incredible growth of the American middle class and the astonishing economic growth during that period both masked and exacerbated underlying social tensions within the American population. After all, if it really was such a great time, what were the late 60s/early 70s massive social movements for? And yet....a broad segment of the population was undoubtedly better off during that time than nowadays. Just compare income inequality from 1970 to 2010, to see how much it has increased since then.
But anyway, enough of my opinions...what are yours, DU?