Skip to main content

How did political and economic life change during the Cold War years in the United States?

After World War II, the United States was one of two superpowers that emerged.  Unfortunately, the other superpower was vastly different in terms of political and economic ideology.  The Soviet Union, a communist state with a party dictatorship, was a nuclear power by 1950 and emerged as America's new enemy.  Politics of the era were dominated with containing communism.  


With the war coming to an end military spending should have decreased. This was not...

After World War II, the United States was one of two superpowers that emerged.  Unfortunately, the other superpower was vastly different in terms of political and economic ideology.  The Soviet Union, a communist state with a party dictatorship, was a nuclear power by 1950 and emerged as America's new enemy.  Politics of the era were dominated with containing communism.  


With the war coming to an end military spending should have decreased. This was not the case, however as American political leaders spent more.  To succeed in politics at the time, you needed to be viewed by the public as a staunch supporter of the effort to destroy communism and the Soviet Union. Also in the political realm, women and minorities fought for and secured a number of rights and freedoms throughout the Cold War years.  


Manufacturing experienced a boom in the United States.  The economy was robust in the early years of the Cold War.  Defense industries benefited from the increases in defense spending.  The strong industrial economy meant a stronger reliance on fossil fuels.  This led to a greater American presence in the Middle East.


The economy also benefited from the emergence of a stronger middle class. The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act provided returning soldiers with the opportunity to attend college.  This helped the American economy by providing lower class Americans the opportunity to pursue professions that paid more money.  This led to the rise of a larger middle class during the years of the Cold War.  


Other political and economic themes to consider during the Cold War:


  • The space race and advances in science

  • Involvement in proxy wars (Korea, Vietnam, Granada, Cuba)

  • Construction of Interstate Highway System

  • Cold War politics in sports

  • McCarthyism

  • Levittown and the rise of the suburbs

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more