The roaring Twenties

The post world war I America saw a massive rise in prosperity. The decade of 1920s offered plenty of jobs with rising incomes. This was accompanied by a series of new consumer goods. The development of industries lead to the transformation of workforce, and this was reflected in the reshaping of work and the workforce. However, it was not good everywhere. Apart from the positive results, there were some negative ones too as the farmers and labours suffered on many accounts. The American economy was developed in large on account of the more efficient methods employed to increase production and productivity. The decade of 1920s was witness to industries shifting from using coals as a form of energy to electricity. The availability of electricity along with the mass production boosted the American economy on one hand, while on the other, it was boosted by other innovations which lead to American productivity increasing. It also led to the flourishing of the already established industries, and also to the emergence of new industries. The trend of large scale organization that was so fundamental to capitalism took place due to the industrial development. There were many mergers of businesses during the 1920s. This meant that larger businesses and assets came to be concentrated in the hands of fewer people. These larger businesses now reorganized to conform to the changes in the consumer demand.

The work and the workforce and its nature changed as well. Scientific management was employed throughout the American industry. Profits and production rose with speed and efficiency. However, the workers became increasingly dissatisfied. This decade also saw the women entering the workforce despite many prejudices and the societal beliefs that they should remain confined to their homes.

The American labor movement failed to respond appropriately to the ongoing changes ...