The Misguided nostalgia of 1950

There is nostalgia about the 1950s, because of the post-war boom period that was doing reasonably well economically due to the availability of secure jobs, a high birth rate, quality education and the federal intervention programs that ensured Americans accessed social security. An American could easily access education via government financing and also a well-paying job, and hence most Americans were proud homeowners. The government-funded programs also introduced high interstate ways and also set minimum wage laws. From the social point of view, the society set socially acceptable standards that accepted a conservative approach to family matters.

The man was the provider, and the woman was limited to childbearing and home management roles. Indeed, sitcoms were aligned with social values that valued family life while emphasizing set gender roles.

However, there was also the darker side of the so-called golden years that people are nostalgic about. There was the aspect of racism that rocked American minorities, displacement of blacks and Latinos and widespread sexism against women at the family unit level.

In this article, I will present a refuting perspective about the nostalgic reactions to the economic and political prosperity of the 1950s at the expense of minorities and women. The political and economic conditions were different back then and hence. Therefore, caution should be exercised with the nostalgia about the 50s.

The economic and political situation between the 1950s and 1970s were more favorable for the American families as most of the adults at the time had grown up in poor conditions due to the great recession of 1931 and the other food rations during WWII and hence in this era, most Americans were willing to spend(Bruti Liberati, pp.

Get quality help now

writer-Charlotte

Verified

Proficient in: America

4.7 (348)

“ Amazing as always, gave her a week to finish a big assignment and came through way ahead of time. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

 69-83). The economy was boosted by consumerism and an economic boom of around 37% annually, and therefore the government could offer better services (Nicholson, p 21) Indeed government outlays targeted at improving the quality of life of the citizens through federally funded programs that targeted infrastructure, health, education, and social security.

The average American family had increased their purchasing power by 30%. Jobs were easier to find as unemployment remained at a low of 4.5% (Caine, p 15). The availability of oil domestically enabled American industries to stay afloat, and they continued to flourish. The post-war period gave America the advantage to be a world leader as countries struggled to rebuild their economies. This is not possible today as the global economy has grown so competitive for the US to achieve such economic prosperity, with the current economy growing at a mere 2%.

The political environment also affected the family unit as the propaganda between the United States and the Soviet Union was focused on the depiction of the differences between the capitalist society and its successes and the poverty experienced in the Soviet Union. The American family was depicted as a happy family with kids and a husband with a job and a woman who took care of the kids and the home while the men were busy at work. The effect was a conservative approach to the family unit in the ideological warfare between the US and Russia.

However, by this time most competitors of America were focused on reconstructing their economies after a brutal war period and hence America was at an advantageous position to become a superpower. The social benefits also did not reach to the lower class citizens such as Black Americans and Latino as most lived with an annual income of less than $3,000(Affigne,pp. 481-490). Poverty levels stood at 25%, and black neighborhoods had no decent facilities. The minority community was deprived of social equality, justice; the civil liberties like voting were only one person affair. The likes of Martin Luther King used their space in society to champion for the rights of the black people in the US.

The black Americans lived in fear due to racism and racial segregation (Caine, p 33). As the happy white couples were enjoying their lives, the black people and the Latino’s lived a life of misery and fear due to numerous rules and restrictions. The political and civil rights movements fought hard against segregation policies and economic disadvantage. The Latinos were also displaced from the American society and those that were in America experience poverty and social inequality. Indeed, the 1950s were a nightmare to the minority groups in the US as their rights had been infringed with segregate policies. The civil rights movements achieved great success as in modern America discriminative policies have substantially reduced while American society has accepted the minority groups into the American culture.

Today the American society is more tolerant of diversity as opposed to the 50s. The minority communities in America have increased space for liberty and even have political rights as opposed to the 50s. The success has been replicated in the education, social, employment and all aspects of American life. Even though the full freedom has not been achieved, the 50s were far much worse for minority groups like Black Americans.

The family unit in the American society discriminated against women as most women were required to assume traditional roles. Sexism and social stereotypes against women who wanted to pursue careers were at an all-time high as women who wanted to pursue careers were subjected to psychiatric assessment and physical mishandling to force them to accept the socially defined roles (Nicholson, p 26). The focus on the family unit as a measure of success in the capitalistic economy was a result of propaganda messages positively depicting the American family while depicting the Russians as desperate and poor.

The society placed importance on the marriage of women as most women were supposed to be married after college and have a husband. The women did not have a choice as the society had set rules. The women who were not married were considered a disgrace and sent away to live with distant relatives. In this era, a woman being single and pregnant was considered an abomination (Sanger-Kartz, 2018). The women were not supposed even to pursue their career as the society expected them to be homemakers and child bearers. As most Americans had television sets, the sitcoms that were aired emphasized on women roles in society and the consequences if they did not fit in the pre-determined roles or wanted to change their careers.The media was used to spread the societal views and expectations about women and their prescribed roles in society.

Women indeed faced great suffering in the face of limited liberty and the perspective that getting a husband was more important than pursuing their careers even though the education was very accessible in this particular era. The women who pursued careers risked being taken to hospitals for psychiatric evaluations. However, the need for liberty was growing as years later women lobby groups pushed for women rights to be recognized a decade later. The sexism in the 1950s cause women in America great suffering, and hence people should think twice before wishing to experience the 50s all over again at the expense of the modern American society that advances rights and protects the freedom of women and individuals.

Americans should, therefore, exercise caution and take a holistic perspective to the American society of the 1950s and modern America. Great strides have been achieved so far. The democratic space for Women and the family unit has grown, and the society has empowered women to be independent. The economic and political situation in the modern era is not as it was in the 50s in a period where the US was not affected by the war. The current global economy and politics are globally competitive, and it requires a lot of effort from government and citizenry in general to offer quality public service like in the 50s. The threat of terrorism and the rise of China and the EU in the world market is a phenomenon that did not exist in the 50s. The family unit has almost vanished as a result of a liberalized world for both men and women. Women have the liberty to choose to pursue careers or start a family. Divorce rates are above 50% in America, and same-sex couples are accepted in society. The 50s were great years; however, it was due to political and economic factors. The societal struggles of the 50s have reduced in the modern world as there is more freedom for diverse groups and people of color. Indeed, the circumstances are not about to be similar to the 50s, and hence people should stop the nostalgic craze.