1950s Dissent and Discontent 17.4

Critics Reject the Fifties Culture Society did not provide equal opportunities to minorities in the U.S. Material things better but does that = better quality of life?

An Era of Conformity Social critics called the 1950s an era of conformity – Americans have sacrificed individualism to fit in – Advertising = control of public’s tastes – What if you were cut off from mainstream? Common theme in many popular 1950s novels

1950s Novels The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman + Nathan Glazer – Loss of individualism The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit by Sloan Wilson – WWII vet seeking the real meaning of life Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger – Mocked phoniness of adult society The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan – Described plight of 1950s housewife – Became ground for which women used to improve their social + political status

The Beats Reject Middle Class Life Small groups of writers called the beatniks strongly criticized American society – Refused to conform to accepted ways of dressing, living, thinking and acting Jack Kerouac’s On the Road – Criticized materialism and conformity through an adventurous group traveling the U.S.

Rural and Urban Poverty Hidden by the 1950s suburban affluence and materialism: – Urban slums Poor African Americans – Rural desperation Poverty stricken rural whites (Appalachia) – Discrimination Jim Crow and segregation The Other America by Michael Harrington – Argued that Americans could not afford to ignore the poverty in the country

Cities Suffer a Decline White Flight: – Urban middle class whites flocked to the suburbs ∴ their taxes, expectations for living, wealth + political influence did too Put an economic strain on cities – Public services declined + crime increased Establishment of the inner city – Older central part of a city – Low income, crowded, large minority population – Inadequate housing + schools, lots of crime

Washington DC

Urban Renewal Urban renewal projects created to reverse the downward trend in cities – Highways + housing developments to lure ppl back into the cities Often failed, pushed ppl out = more crowding – Public housing built by the gov’t Seemed like a blessing (hot water, heat, etc) BUT just concentrated the poverty even more

Rural Poverty The independent farmer was no match for the growth of corporate farms – Life just as bad, at times worse, that urban poor – Not given as much attention by the gov’t – Some fled to the cities

Discrimination in America Housing + employment discrimination felt by – Puerto Ricans – clustered in inner city – Mexicans: Legalized slavery  exploited Braceros – Native Americans Termination policy: – End tribal gov’t + relocate Nat Am to cities – End gov’t health + welfare assistance Had little political power to fight for better treatment