Which decade was America's golden age?

allenwrench · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 23, 2008 Posts: 728

Petrodollar · Last edited by Petrodollar on Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:44 am; edited 9 times in total

(Note: Assuming you are asking about the 20th century to date)

The 1950s, no doubt about it.

Economically:
The US was the world's largest oil producer
The US was the world's largest oil exporter
The US was the world's largest exporter of goods, and enjoyed a formidable trade account surplus
The US did not run up huge budget deficits in annual spending (Republicans actually were fiscally conservative back then...)
The US dollar was backed by gold ($35 per ounce)

Bottom line: One wage earner could support a family back then.

Domestically, the US Surpreme Court under Chief Justice Warren helped undue some of the unjustices of the past. Specifically, the Brown vs. Board of Education decision of 1956 stuck down the "separate but equal" concept of racial segregation and set the stage for a more equal society. In fact, I would argue the Barak Obama's historical acheivement this week as a major presidential candidate is linked back to the 1956 decision, which initiated the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.

Geopoliticallly, the US was admired throughout the world as it sought to rebuild post-war Europe and Japan, and pursued liberal foreign policies such as the Marshall plan (correction: and in 1948, the famous Berlin Air Lift).

Believe it or not, but the US was even loved in the Middle East due to Eisenhower’s stance regarding the Suez Crisis of 1956, when he forced the "pro-colonial" French, Israelis, and English out of the Suez following their conspiracy to take over the Canal.

The lowpoints domestically during the 1950s? The "red scare" period thanks to McCarthyism paranoia. From an energy & resource perspectice, the solidification of "suburbia" - and the beginnings of urban sprawl and excessive oil consumption. GM, Firestone and Standard Oil were convicted of conspiracy to buy up and dismantle the public transportation systems such as electric trollies and local rail systems. GM executives were fined $1 for their treachery...

The low points of US foreign policy in the 1950s? The Korean War and CIA operation Ajax of 1953 - the later of which explains the US-Iranian relationship today.

Still, the 1950s were the golden years for the US - in large part due to its oil/energy supplies, favorable trade position and a "good as gold" currency.

hope_full · Heavy Crude Joined: May 27, 2008 Posts: 173

I would agree that it was the 1950s. We had a real economy, where we were producing real things and real products. The typical American could take a job at graduation (from high school) and remain in that job for the rest of his life. Housing expense (as a proportion) was much less than it is today and there was an expectation that people would pay off their homes.

Remember the 1975 epidose of "All In the Family" where Archie has a mortgage burning party party? After years of payments, they owned their own home. How many people do YOU know who own their homes outright?

Typical mortgages were 15 years, not 30 (like today) or INTEREST ONLy or even reverse amortization. Yeesh.

Today, the average baby boomer will have five CAREERS before retirement. That's not jobs, but careers. It's certainly been true for me and my siblings. We've lost stability. And what's worse, I think Americans have lost faith in the future.

We were flying high in the 1950s and 60s.

HF

Nickel

dunewalker

I would say the age of transcendentalism, back in the 19th century--Emerson, Thoreau, etc.
_________________
"I believe that a wise Vermonter lives more by lack of expense rather than from income."--some Dartmouth professor from across the river

allenwrench · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 23, 2008 Posts: 728

Thanks for all the replies.

I was thinking the 50's as well. But I never thought of all the reasons that were brought up. I just went by gut instinct and looked back on how people lived.

Seemed like the 50's were a more relaxed time and people actually 'could live' a decent life, as opposed to those that just 'try to survive' as our world becomes overpopulated, our food supply becomes degenerated and we are depleted of natural resources.

I guess some of the appeal of the fifties was the fact that the population had not exploded as yet into the overpopulated mess we have now.

One responder brought up sprawl.

Sprawl is tough to pin down, for one persons sprawl is an another persons community.

http://www.plannersweb.com/sprawl/define.html

In the movie 'The End of Suburbia' the Canadians that were bad mouthing the US and it dependence on suburbs failed to see that there is not a lot of choice other than congested high rise concrete cites or spread out suburbs once the population is overbuilt.

The End of Suburbia pictured multi level condos or town hose buildings as their ideal, along main streets with local shopping and activities.

While a nice dream for some, it would be impractical for the vast majority of the US population since it is so large. Once you condense the suburbs you now have a jammed up city. If you extend the city you have suburbs.

The movie maintained the importance of having one's own food garden. The ideal of the multi structured family living they proposed would not offer food gardening. They would have to be dependent on community gardens since they had no yard of their own. And community gardens are not practical for the millions upon millions that inhabit the concrete jungles we have built.

biofuel13

Clearly it was any decade that came before the year 1492. Since that time there has been an ever deepening downward spiral.

allenwrench · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 23, 2008 Posts: 728

Nickel

hope_full · Heavy Crude Joined: May 27, 2008 Posts: 173

Another good thing about the 1950s, FLYING WAS FUN!

Smile

Here's a picture of Mom in the early 1950s boarding a DC-4. (I think it's a DC-4; it has four wing-mounted engines.)

Notice she's at the GATE - a real gate made of chain link! Oh, those were the days...

idomar

I am going to have to say, pre 1776!

Look what has happened since we let you have the freedom of one of our colonies! Razz

Cashmere · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Mar 27, 2008 Posts: 1500

1776-1876
_________________
Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.

Nickel

Nickel

FrankRichards · Tar Sands Joined: Oct 11, 2004 Posts: 98