In-Depth Notes on Post-1945 European Society

The Structure of European Society After 1945

• Major alterations occurred in European society, especially in the middle class after 1945.
• Traditional middle-class professions (business people, lawyers, doctors, educators) were joined by new managers and technicians in large companies and government agencies.
• Characteristics of the New Middle Class:
  • Relied on specialized knowledge gained through advanced education.
  • Focused on effective administration of their organizations.
  • Emphasized education for their children.

Changes in the Lower Classes

• There was a significant migration from rural areas to urban centers.
• Agriculture workers decreased while industrial labor force numbers remained steady.
  • Example: In West Germany, industrial workers comprised 48% of the labor force in the 1950s/1960s.
• Working-class wages increased, allowing them to adopt middle-class consumption patterns, leading to a consumer society.
• Buying Trends:
  • Installment buying (popularized in the 1920s) became commonplace in the 1950s.
  • Products purchased included televisions, refrigerators, and washing machines.
  • Supermarkets made shopping for essentials more convenient.
• Automobile Ownership:
  • Pre-WWII, cars were largely limited to the upper-class.
  • Car ownership surged from 5 million in 1948 to 45 million by the 1960s.

Mass Leisure Explosion

• Rising incomes and reduced working hours expanded market opportunities for leisure activities.
• Workweek shrank from 60 hours in 1900 to just over 40 hours by 1960.
• Increased paid holidays gave people time for leisure—the 1960s saw German and Italian workers receiving 32 to 35 days off per year.
• Commercialization of popular culture (music, sports, media) began.
• Tourism Growth:
  • Pre-WWII, primarily upper/middle class.
  • Post-war conditions allowed mass tourism, with over 100 million cross-border tourists in Europe by mid-1960s.

Creation of the Welfare State

• Postwar Europe saw significant development in social welfare systems, known as the welfare state.
• Aimed to provide better living conditions and eliminate poverty; felt necessary after WWII.
• Benefits included:
  • Old-age pensions, medical insurance, unemployment compensation.
  • Varied by country; some offered free medical care while others required partial payments.
• Welfare systems aimed to increase educational opportunities and extend social safety nets.

Class and Gender Issues in Welfare Systems

• Gender roles influenced welfare state development; debates emphasized whether to recognize women as mothers or individual workers.
• Specific state systems:
  • Britain: Aimed to keep women at home; few benefits for working married women.
  • West Germany: Discouraged female workforce participation, differentiating from communist neighbors.
  • France: Promoted gender equality, offering the same welfare benefits to working women as men.
• Family allowances incentivized childbirth to counter post-war population decline.

Women in the Postwar Western World

• After WWII, women returned to traditional roles; workforce participation dropped while birth rates rose, leading to a baby boom.
• Birth control practices led to smaller families starting in the late 1950s.
• The number of married women in the workforce surged:
  • E.g., In the U.S. from 15% in 1900 to 62% by 1970.
  • In Sweden, married women in the workforce increased from 47% to 66% (1963-1975).
• Despite greater participation, women Earned less than men; e.g., 60% of men's wages in Britain during the 1960s.

Suffrage and the Liberal Movement

• Women gained the right to vote in many Western nations post-WWI as recognition of their contributions to the war effort.
• Post WWII, women initially faced a revert to traditional roles, sparking the women’s liberation movement in the 1960s.
• Influential figures included Simone de Beauvoir, who highlighted women’s subjugation in her book "The Second Sex" (1949).

Postwar Art and Literature Trends

• Artists and writers grappled with the trauma of WWII; Adorno stated, “to write poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric.”
• The U.S. took the lead in shaping postwar art, notably through Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art.
• Key Artists:
  • Jackson Pollock: Known for energetic, abstract works that involved the viewer.
  • Andy Warhol: Transformed popular culture into fine art, e.g., Campbell’s soup cans; emphasized mass production.
• Theater of the Absurd:
  • Reflects disillusionment in post-war society; exemplified by Samuel Beckett’s "Waiting for Godot."

Existentialism: Philosophical Responses

• Existentialism emerged in response to the moral collapses of the twentieth century, with figures such as Sartre and Camus exploring themes of meaninglessness.
• Key ideas include:
  • Absence of inherent human purpose; individuals must create their own values.
  • Authenticity and responsibility were emphasized; societal norms should not dictate individual worth.

Religious Revival Attempts

• In reaction to societal disillusionment, movements attempted to revitalize Christianity.
• Figures such as Karl Barth sought to reinterpret traditional beliefs for modern relevance.
• Vatican II (1962) sought to modernize Catholic practices, though church attendance decreased over time.

Rise of Popular Culture

• Post-WWII, popular culture became central to societal identity, tied to economic systems.
• American Influence:
  • U.S. dominated through film, literature, and music, shaping global consumer culture.
  • Films propelled American culture; Europe became a significant market for Hollywood.
  • The British and European filmmakers maintained unique identities through national cinema.
• Music Evolution:
  • Rock ‘n’ roll combined various influences; artists like Elvis Presley and the Beatles reshaped the music landscape globally.