The “American Dream” and Truman’s “Fair Deal”

The “American Dream”

After WW2, peacetime goods were produced in the same, efficient way that war goods were made. Post war America saw an era of consumerism which was the concept that the consumption of goods benefits the economy

Luxury goods such as …

refrigerators, ovens, vacuum cleaners, cars and televisions were produced at affordable prices. Demand was high since these goods were rare during the war

A powerful advertising industry …

And “buy now,pay later” schemers persuaded people to spend money

Huge shopping centres were …

built on the outskirts of large towns and cities

By the end of the 1950s,

nine out of every ten US households had a television, eight had a car and a telephone and seven had a washing machine

There was a boom in …

overseas spending on US-made goods. By 1952, America was supplying the world with 65% of its manufactured goods

America experienced …

a“baby boom” that saw a 40% increase in the population

Truman’s “Fair Deal”

After FDR’s death in April 1945, FDR was replaced with Harry S Truman. Truman felt it was important for the government to help bring a fairer society. Truman called his plans the “Fair Deal”. The two main issues he hoped to tackle were poverty and the rights of African-Americans

Advantages of the Fair Deal

Truman raised the minimum hourly wage from 40 cents to 75 cents. Large areas of slum housing were cleared to make affordable homes. The GI Bill made cheap home loans available to war veterans and grants were paid for ex-soldiers to attend college or trae schools. From 1944 to 1949, the government gave $4 billion to nearly 9 million veterans

Disadvantages of the Fair Deal

Truman’s proposal to introduce a national health insurance scheme was blocked by Republicans. An attempt to improve the rights of African-Americans was halted when many Southern politicians voted against it

Women after the war

Most women went back to their more traditional roles as housewives. Women who did get jobs were often employed in traditionally “female” roles (nursing, teaching). Women who tried to pursue a high-flying business or management career often discrimination