Introduction
The ’50-’80s in American politics was a period of social and economic change. The aspects of the new political culture both shaped and were shaped by the rapid progress of society. The notable changes include new policies that benefited working-class white people, the discussion of Civil Rights, the Vietnam War and its outcomes, and the rise of a new brand of conservatism during the 1980s.
The Changes in Politics and Society
Legislation That Led to a Booming Economy
The decade prior, the 1940s, was defined by severe economic stagnation prompted by the Second World War. However, the decline in the quality of life in the US was soon about to end with new government legislation. According to Locke and Wright, “Government spending during World War II pushed the United States out of the Depression and into an economic boom that would be sustained after the war” (290). By protecting landowners from significant financial loss, often at the expense of the national bank, and ensuring mortgages, the government made homes affordable to a large portion of the population. Suburban communities flourished, which meant more people bought consumer goods, such as household appliances and daily necessities.
Non-stop growth of the economy led to a large increase in the percentage of people living in the suburbs near large cities. Most Americans who could afford housing, which was widely accessible, rushed to the suburbs because of the promise of a comfortable and calm life away from the cities constant noise. A house with electrical appliances, a vehicle, and land surrounding the house, which could be cultivated into a garden or lawn, became Americans’ living standards.
Civil Rights
The struggle for equality still weighed heavily on African Americans. In 1964 the Supreme Court made an effort to enforce racially integrated schools all over the country, specifically focusing on the South (Locke and Wright 297). Some white Americans responded negatively by claiming that such schools were “communist” and controlling. Despite this backlash, segregation in education was outlawed in the South as of 1968. However, education was part of America’s social, legal, and economic discrimination.
The economic boom promised much to the African-American population, yet they were still far from receiving its benefits. Locke and Wright quote Rosa Parks in her documentation of the life of black people in Alabama during the late 50s: “This thing called segregation here is a complete and solid pattern as a way of life.” Activists and faces of the community started mobilizing people to protest segregation. The 50s also saw the rise of Martin Luther King’s popularity. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1957. However, it compromised most other solutions to racial injustice. The 60s saw developments in the Civil Rights Movement – the passing of the Civil Rights Bill of 1964, among others. The discussions about racial equality undoubtedly influenced government policy and laid the foundation for social change. African Americans held seats in government and Congress increasingly until the 80s because of the changing public opinion on the status of black people in society.
The Vietnam War
Vietnam, divided into South Vietnam and Vietcong, was a topic of hot political discussions during the 1960s. America aided the Southern Vietnamese army to help “suppress a domestic communist insurgency” (Locke and Wright 328). The ground war began in 1965, spurring controversy and debate among the population. Youth subcultures, such as hippie culture, started to surface and gain traction around this time because of their message of peace in opposition to the war effort. This war’s cultural significance was unprecedented, spawning many protests, marches, music genres, and campaigns. This significance can be explained by the fact that the battlefield was being covered on national television. The war had also left many soldiers and military personnel with long-lasting PTSD, with many later describing their experience of the war as horrific (“Interview with George M. Garcia [10/6/2012]”). Veterans mental health also became a topic of conversation among the American population, creating cultural awareness about trauma from war.
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Democrat and Republican Rhetoric
The country’s tense political and social state brought on by the Civil Rights protests, feminist rallies, and the anti-war movement meant both leading parties in America had to consider their rhetorical tactics carefully. Republican candidate Richard Nixon won the 1968 election by speaking to the “silent majority,” an idea that appealed to the white suburban dwellers that painted liberals in cities as violent rioters. After the Watergate scandal, Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, spoke about “the “misery index,” the simple addition of the unemployment rate to the inflation rate” (Locke and Wright 368). However, the nation’s economic struggles were much more severe, and the current democratic administration could not properly address them.
The late 70s era of American politics was defined by the surge of the New Right, led by Ronald Reagan. Its liberal economic policy and socially conservative, often religious rhetoric define this ideology. Protests and riots only aided its growth, as the New Right promised a stable and calm society. Reagan undid the social welfare and income redistribution policies of the 1950s in favor of free market growth, which affected the everyday lives of average Americans (Reagan). Most conservatives viewed social progress as an attack on their beliefs, and the national debt grew.
Conclusion
America’s 1950s-80s political and social environments were subject to rapid change. After World War II, significant economic activity was brought in by welfare and government intervention. This era is defined by the rise of the Civil Rights movement and the struggle of African Americans for equality, which led to changes in national policy to abolish segregation. The Vietnam War spurred social unrest, leading to the rise of the New Right.
Works Cited
“Interview with George M. Garcia [10/6/2012]”. Veterans History Project, 2022.
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Locke, Joseph L., and Wright, Ben. The American Yawp: A Massively Collaborative Open U.S. History Textbook. Vol. 2: Since 1877, Stanford University Press, 2019.
Parks, Rosa. “Rosa Parks on Life in Montgomery, Alabama (1956-1958)”. The American Yawp Reader: A Documentary Companion to the American Yawp. Stanford University Press, 2019.
Reagan, Ronald. “Inaugural Address,” 1981. United States Capitol, Washington, D.C. Address.