The Beginning Of Expansion Of The Middle Class

For some the American dream is the value of hard work. To others it's a huge emphasis on material possessions. So, the American dream is no longer the American dream. It is a dream that anyone and everyone can relate to. This dream is the idea of having what ever you want. May it be material goods, ideas and values, or freedoms and rights. This idea also represents the uniqueness of America. It is a dream a lot of people around the world don't get to enjoy;

But after the war ended, the economy was moving in a good direction. The government was creating jobs and opportunities for Americans. They were able to find jobs and earn higher wages. The Middle Class emerged after World War II ended in 1945. After the war ended, the government tried to eliminate communism in America by de-emphasizing class difference which formed the middle class. Consumerism was marketed towards the middle class and they were splurging and buying things they needed to live a better life. With the middle class being able to afford products, the economy was growing. The middle class in the 1950’s were making an annual income of $5,000 a month. These people were living the American Life. To earn the middle class income, the husbands worked while their wives took care of the family; however, some families needed both the wife and husband to earn an income to make the middle class

Through the major influences of mass consumption within domesticity roles in Australian and American families, materialistic items including the family car and the introduction of the television where perceived as the central element of the family during the post-war period. Within America during the 1950’s, there was a sudden rise of new home building causing a major influence within the economy as families, especially middle class families were receiving an improved income under the leadership of President Truman , allowing families to indulge in materialist items including the family car. Through Cold war threats and anxieties American ideas of domesticity where shaped around the concept of the American dream which was expressed within American film, television and literature to ease these pressures .

In the late 1800's, American society began to burst with cultural activity. After the Civil War and the Reconstruction, Americans were eager to return to their normal lifestyles. The period that followed, however, was quite different from what the country was used to. During the war, many pushed hard for a rise in industry, leading to an explosive industrial revolution far beyond what people had expected. America's business and economy had boomed, and, as the new century approached, many had a new outlook on life. They were eager to escape the dull regiments of both the past Victorian era and the new urban lifestyle. This was easy for the upper and middle classes, both of which were growing due to the rapid increase in industry. It

Achieving the American Dream is like fighting over the last TV on Black Friday. The American Dream is very limited. A person has to have a certain background to achieve it. The American Dream is an illusion. America wants one to believe that they have the perfect set of materialistic things to make their life better. The American Dream consist of having money, a nice house, a great looking car, and a family. Not everyone can achieve that though because of the barriers that they have in this country. The American Dream is not achievable by all people because individual’s divergent backgrounds.

Traditionally, the term “American Dream” applied primarily to immigrants who came seeking a level of opportunity they wouldn't have had in their countries of origin. The promise of America was that, even if one came from very little means, if one worked hard and applied themselves, they could secure a standard of living for themselves and their family that they would never have been able to had they stayed where they were. That promise imbued those immigrants with the "dream" of raising their status in America. The ability to become "rich" (by US standards) is certainly part

Although modern society may be heavily motivated by avarice now, it hasn’t always been this way. The term “American Dream” came into existence in the 1920s when ideas were similar to the ones we have now. As shown several times in the novel, The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American Dream was the want for materialistic things. The greed during this time period led to the stock market crash and

“The United States economy prospered during the war, factories became very efficient. They made weapons and turned out supplies for the war. After the fighting ended, the same factories began making peace time products.” (Corrigan 6) Before the war, many jobs were confined to either farms or handyman jobs. With the demand of wartime products such as guns, ammunition, and uniforms, factories provided americans with millions of jobs. Young, old, skilled, and unskilled, were working long hours in these factories; and they were working for little or no pay. As well as these factories providing jobs for Americans, they also provided jobs to the millions of immigrants, who also worked for little to no pay. Also due to the improvement of technology, came the invention of the assembly line which brought mass production and jobs. Washing machines, microwaves, radios, and automobiles were some of many of the new modern conveniences. “The rich became much richer during this decade, but many poor people did not benefit at all from the country's growth.” (Corrigan 6) The social classes stayed the same, this was a result of the new “American Dream”. The wealthy began to be driven by wealth and money. The two upper classes split into two: ones with new money, and those with old. Those with old money usually inherited it in the form of land, investments, or money. Ones with new money, were often very young and spent their money

When the phrase “American Dream” is uttered, it is typically associated with having money or striving to have money. The dream of much of the public is to have money and to be able to purchase anything they desire whenever they want. For some, this dream is not about money, but it is about having the opportunity to better his or herself and his or her loved ones. In either case, there are certain circumstances and obstacles that make this dream increasingly difficult to attain. Some would even be willing to argue, the American dream is unattainable. “American Dream” is defined as the concept of every citizen of the United States having an equal opportunity to achieve success and happiness through hard work, sacrifices, and risk-taking (Fontinelle);

The American Dream is a fantasy that has not come true for the millions that are toiling in the system hoping to get a piece of the wealth which America so liberally shares with its rich upper class. Mansions, expensive cars, a happy family and of course lots of money. These images adorn the minds of the less privileged of this nation.

The idea of the American Dream has been around since America was founded, but until 1933, it was not put into words. In the article American Faces 1933’s Realities, by James Truslow Adams, he defines the American Dream as “ ...a vision of a better, deeper, richer life for every individual, regardless of the position in society which he or she may occupy by the accident of birth” (1). The American Dream does not have to be described as having copious amounts of wealth. To some, it is only a vision of a better life for themselves and their families.

The American Dream can mean different things depending on who is asked. Some will answer it is the freedom of religion, class or race, others will claim it is about the ability to choose where they want to work, what they want to wear, or what’s for breakfast the next day.

All over, cities are growing rapidly. The people who had the money to start a business or start factories have been gaining in their profits and there has been an expansion of people in the middle-class. All types of products are now easier made and purchased by people in many areas. The majority of people have been getting sewage and plumbing for the first time. This means that for a lot of people, life has just got a whole lot better.

Following the end of World War II, the American economy found its way out of depression. Wartime production aided the economy and spiked the country’s spending power. From the late 1940s, people have been accustomed to spending the money they have on everything they want and need. People then started to figure out and believe that this type of spending, consumerism, improved the economy. The items that were being bought were also different than they were before. “At war's end, the items people most desired included televisions, cars, washing machines, refrigerators, toasters, and vacuum cleaners: the machines that would help

In the latter part of the 19th century the middle class began to increase in size; it consisted mainly of mestizos who were able to acquire some education. Eventually, as trade and industry grew, and especially after the nitrate market collapsed following Word War 1 (1914-1918), the tight control of the landowning aristocracy was loosened. New groups, among them traders, manufacturers, professional people, and intellectuals, began to swell the ranks of the middle class and to press for social reforms. In addition, by 1920 there was an organized and impatient working class that lacked the ingrained loyalty to the landlords that had developed in the tenant farmer class. All these groups demanded the attention of the government and began to promote