Did_the_Post_War_Economic_Boom_Have_a_Positive_or_Negative_Impact_on_America_

The Economic Miracle after the World War II was a rapid economic growth and expansion in the 1949. Between the year 1945 and 1960 the GNP has grew about 250% but the unemployment remained low. This economic boom has brought many impacts on the American society. The economic growth brings several positive impacts. First, 100 billion dollar was spent on the interstate highway program. Also a technological innovation led to growth in productivity and the first modern computer IBM was built. Science space technology advance in 1961 and Alan Sheppard was the first American in space. Medically advancement was the Salk and Polio vaccination which help control the disease and decrease the infant mortality by half. In addition, there was an increase in birth rate which leads to a growing consumer demand. Large corporations that controlled an enormous proportion of the nation’s economic activity grew. Especially those that benefited from government defense spending this help the economic boom has lead to wage increase. Moreover, Consumer culture and obsession was cause by prosperity. Goods and technology improves such as the invention of dishwashers, televisions and stereos. As televisions become popular and replaced newspaper, magazines, and radio as a source of information. It had a tremendous affect on the American society such as the change in sport. As the popularity of television increase it promotes the industry of televisions show, channel or program. One of the famous examples was the Mickey Mouse Club and it led to a demand for related products. Furthermore, there is a suburb growth which is when people who move from cities to suburbia for larger home for larger families were mostly white and separated by class. By moving to the suburb this provides privacy and space for consumer growth. Also this resulted old building in the city replaced by a new building. Even though the growth of suburb has lead to the growth in housing, automobiles and roads. But the reason was that there was a division between work place and home for men. Also women were isolated from work place which reinforced the idea of women as a housewife and good mother. From what Dr. Spock said what is most important is the woman was the child and after the World War II children did not need to go to work or war. So there was an invention of teenage who listen to rock and roll but will rebel without a cause. These were some of the negative impact on the American society in the post war economy boom. Other negative impact is that when suburb continues to grow the cities declines and was inhabited by poor minority groups of ghettoes. So the poverty and crime in the city increase. There is also a negative affect from television which is that it created a common image of American life: a big white house with lawn, garage, swimming pool and a pet dog. But it causes social conflict as everyone could see the affluence even if they couldn’t have it. Finally, after the War World II ended and the Cold War kept the government spending continues. The development did take place in the west such as California but it grew faster than other place and this lead to an unequal distribution of economic development and wealth. This shows that not everyone shared the wealth and prosperity approximately one fifth of the population live below the poverty line especially the blacks and Hispanics. There was no union in the south and other union came under investigation for corruption. The number of farms decreases because farmers’ income declines. As a result the south economy lagged behind the rest of the country. In conclusion, the post war economic boom has both positive and negative impact. The positive impact is the set up of interstate highway program and first modern computer IBM. Also technology advance such as space technology and medically vaccination which decreases infant mortality rate. As birth rate increase, the consumer demand increase, the large corporation improves and develops a consumer culture. The invention of televisions promotes the industry of televisions show, channel or program and stimulate economic grew. The growth in suburb provides privacy and space for consumer growth and lead to new building built in city. The growth in housing, automobiles and roads was resulted from the suburb growing because a division between work place and home was formed for men. Other negative impact on the American society include women were isolated from work place and the invention of teenager who rebel for no reason. City decline so poverty and crime increase. There is a negative impact from the invention of television is that it create a virtual American life which is not possible for all American to have. Additionally, there is an unequal distribution of economic development and wealth so not everyone shared the wealth and prosperity. Personally, I believe that the positive impact of the post war economic overweigh the negative impacts because these impact is a legacy and is still present in the modern 21st century.