The Postwar Economy Booms

1
The Postwar Economy Booms
2
Indicators of Affluence in Society

• Housing
• Babies
• Big Business
• Scientific Advancement
• Leisurely Activities

3
What are some of the economic indicators of
growth during the post WWII years.

• Car owners
• 2 million in 1946
• 8 million in 1955
• TVs
• 1 million in 1948
• 7.5 million in 1950
• GNP
• 100,000,000,000 in 1940
• 300,000,000,000 in 1950
• US made up 6 of world population and produced
  half the worlds goods!

4
How were wages affected during the 1950s?

• Factory Workers
• 3,300 in 1950
• 5,300 in 1960
• Real Income
• Income adjusted for inflation (rise in prices)
• rose 20!
• Americans had more discretionary income
• Money to buy creature comforts (not just
  necessities)

5
The Baby Boom
Dr. Spock
6
Medical Miracles

• CPR
• TB
• Radiation Treatment
• Polio

7
How did advertising change in the 1950s?

• Created new needs and desires through hidden
  messages
• Facial cream beauty
• Freezer plenty
• car status symbol
• mouthwash popularity
• Used the television to shape Americans minds and
  make them status conscious

8
Describe Corporate America in the 1950s.

• Encouraged conformity
• White collar-workers (office) were told
• How to dress
• Which country club to belong to
• Points of view (political)
• Important positions filled with white males
• Women filled secretarial positions
• Minorities shut out

9
How did ones occupation change in the 1950s.

• America started to become a Post-Industrial
  Service centered economy
• Started to go from factory to white collar
  (office) jobs

10
How did the automobile affect American society in
the 1950s?

• National Highway Act 1956
• 40,000 miles of federal highways
• 58 million cars sold in the 1950s!
• Drive-in economy, food, entertainment
• People commuted greater distances to work.
• Suburbs grew
• Farmland sold for development
• Urban flight
• Gas
  consumption increased

11
Social Critics

• Little Boxes
• The Beat Generation