HISTORY 40C Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Jazz Age, Consumerism, Mass Production
8 Jun 2016
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A consumer society the raring 20s jazz age . Us consumerism = new mass produced and marketed products and new mass entertainments. Real wages increased (but so did economic inequality) 5-8% for semi-skilled or skilled males; 2% for women. Automobile became an economic driver and agent of cultural change. Rise of advertising industry and promotions stimulated buying. 16-20% of americans were from wave of new immigrants and most lived in cities. Great migration of african americans swelled northern cities. Agricultural decline sent many more people to cities. New urban amusements and consumer products attracted especially young people. Taylorism reduced work to small steps for speed and efficiency. It sped up mass production lines and segmented work processes. Employed many immigrants and african americans who had come to cities. Parents control over kids lessened with the automobile because they could take the car to amusement parks.
