How Far Did All Americans Benefit from the Boom?

How far did all Americans benefit from the boom?

The 1920s are often referred to as the ‘roaring twenties’, the name suggests it was a time riotous fun, loud music and wild enjoyment were everyone was having a good time. However this was not the case for many. For some who didn’t join in the party the twenties was a time of anxiety and worry. The future was uncertain and for them the changes that were being made were proof to them that the USA were going down the drain and in need of rescue. This combined made the 1920s a decade of contrast, but how far did all Americans benefit.

One of the defining aspects of the boom was vast industrial movement. New methods of production were developed which revolutionised the way parts and products were made. Household Products like the Hoover and Washing Machine became mass produced, this was dubbed the ‘Industrial Efficiency Movement’ because of these new previously unseen production methods. These new methods meant that the goods became affordable to the public and America saw a large boom in consumer goods because of it. Another positive effect the industrial movement had was creation of jobs unemployment falling 6.7 million from the years 1921 to 1929. New industries such as advertising and marketing were formed subsequently.

One business that was heading the movement was Ford. Ford was the first car company to adopt the car manufacturing process of the production line. This allowed them to cheaply develop their flag ship product the 'model T’. The cheap affordable car was an instant success and made Ford large profits. Ford distributed these profits to their workers and doubling their wages overnight to 5$ a day ($120 nowadays). The company also promoted a ‘buy now, pay later’ scheme which enabled workers to purchase a car and pay for it out of their wages each week. By 1925 15 million Model Ts had been produced and 1 in 5 Americans had a car (UK 1 in 43).