Chapter 20 Notes: From Business Culture to Great Depression

The Business of America

• Focus Question: Who benefited and who suffered in the new consumer society of the 1920s?

• A comprehensive overview of the profound social and economic changes during the decade, emphasizing wealth distribution, the emergence of a consumer society, and the contrasting experiences of different classes, particularly the economic disparities highlighted by the booming urban markets versus struggling rural areas.

The Novelty of Prosperity

• A Decade of Prosperity: The 1920s, often described as the "Roaring Twenties," was marked by extraordinary economic growth and innovation, especially in consumer culture. The period witnessed the proliferation of credit, which played a crucial role in enabling middle-class Americans to access previously unattainable goods and services, significantly elevating their standard of living. This consumer boom was fueled by mass production techniques pioneered by industries, transforming the American economy into a vibrant marketplace where consumerism became a cornerstone of social identity and lifestyle.

• A New Society: The introduction and widespread availability of new household appliances—like electric refrigerators, washing machines, and toasters—transformed domestic life, allowing for greater efficiency and freeing women from many traditional domestic chores. This shift represented a cultural transition toward modernity, highlighting an increasing emphasis on leisure, convenience, and consumer goods as markers of progress and social status.

Household Appliances, 1900-1930

• An extensive look at the availability and adoption rates of various household appliances from 1900 to 1930, revealing a significant transformation in American homes. Appliances became more affordable and accessible, contributing to a cultural shift where family members increasingly engaged in new leisure activities. The visualization could depict the percentages of households equipped with these appliances over the decades, indicating how technological innovations rapidly permeated daily life and reshaped family dynamics.

Unequal Distribution

• The Limits of Prosperity: Although industries such as manufacturing and consumer retail flourished during the 1920s, the age was also characterized by stark economic divides. While urban centers experienced job growth, rising wages, and increased production, other sectors, particularly agriculture, languished. Farmers faced an economic crisis marked by oversupply, plummeting crop prices, and the accumulation of debt, which led to widespread foreclosures, highlighting the inequality inherent in the economic landscape.

• The Farmers' Plight: The struggles of agricultural workers contrasted sharply with urban gains. This section would explore the systemic issues faced by farmers, including overproduction due to mechanization, rising costs of equipment and land, and natural disasters like droughts and floods. Many farmers found themselves trapped in a cycle of debt, contrasting markedly with the urban consumer experience that celebrated abundance and economic freedom.

Corporations and Welfare Capitalism

• The Image of Business: The rise of welfare capitalism represented a strategic shift in corporate America, where businesses sought to quell worker discontent by providing some benefits—like health insurance, retirement plans, and recreational opportunities. This approach aimed to discourage union organization and enhance productivity, contributing to a facade of harmonious labor relations but ultimately masking the growing inequities and tensions beneath.

• The Decline of Labor: As corporate power expanded, union membership began a steady decline due to a combination of government policies favoring business interests, aggressive anti-union tactics by employers, and the rise of a consumer economy that valued individualism over collective action. This section would analyze key events that contributed to the weakening of labor's influence in the face of growing industrial might.

Women’s Experiences

• The Equal Rights Amendment: A critical examination of the movements advocating for women's rights in the 1920s, particularly the push for the Equal Rights Amendment, which sought to ensure equal legal rights for women. This discussion will highlight the tension between traditional gender roles and the burgeoning feminist movement, which demanded equal opportunities in all facets of life, including work, education, and politics.

• Women's Freedom: Women's new societal roles became emblematic of a broader cultural shift, as their participation in consumerism evolved. Women began to carve out spaces for autonomy, participating in the workforce in increasing numbers and redefining notions of femininity through fashion, social behaviors, and public life. This transformation included the emergence of the flapper archetype, representing a new ideal of liberated womanhood that challenged societal norms and celebrated personal expression.

Business and Government

• Focus Question: In what ways did the government promote business interests in the 1920s?

• An exploration of how government policies during this period favored corporate growth through tax incentives, reduced regulations, and favorable economic conditions that encouraged investment and entrepreneurship. This section would delve into the political climate that enabled business interests to dominate legislative processes, illustrating how this relationship impacted various social classes.

Corruption

• A detailed analysis of corruption that pervaded the Republican era, closely tied to business interests and reflecting the intertwining of economic and political environments. This section would examine high-profile scandals, such as the Teapot Dome scandal, that revealed the extent of illegal practices and the complicity of government officials.

• Prohibition Enforcement: The challenges of enforcing prohibition laws and the emergence of corruption within government sectors would underline the complications associated with well-intentioned reforms that ultimately fostered widespread illegality, organized crime, and governmental inefficiency.

The Birth of Civil Liberties

• Focus Question: Why did the protection of civil liberties gain importance in the 1920s?

• A significant exploration into the rising prominence of civil rights organizations, like the ACLU, during this period. This section would analyze how the societal changes and political repression in the wake of World War I led to heightened awareness regarding the need to protect individual freedoms and prevent government overreach, resulting in advocacy for free speech and against censorship.

The Culture Wars

• Focus Question: What were the major flashpoints between fundamentalism and pluralism in the 1920s?

• A depiction of the cultural tensions emerging from the clash between traditionalist beliefs—largely religious in nature—and the rise of modernist ideologies that challenged established norms. Events such as the Scopes Trial, which pitted the teaching of evolution against biblical creationism, illustrated the deep divides within American society regarding education, morality, and social values.