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¡§Normalcy, prosperity, stability¡¨ />
The presidency of Warren G. Harding was led by the motto of ¡§normalcy, prosperity, stability¡¨ - this corresponded to the Americans¡¦ traditional dislike of governmental regimentation and bureaucracy.
Symbols of the economical boom were:
"X An increase of the gross national product of about 5%
"X Production of industry, capital yields and company profits were rising for about 2/3
"X Rising export rates due to the backlog demands of the European countries which were caused by the war
"X US ¡V Dollar : key currency of the world trade system
"X New York: leading financial metropolis, leading stock market of the world
"X The boom of constructing enormous buildings such as the Chrysler Building which reflects America¡¦s exuberance in the 1920s - the Art Deco style in architecture and the decorative arts combines sleek elegance, geometric shapes, and varied materials.
"X A wave of optimism and the belief in progress which also touched president Herbert C. Hoover (elected in 1928)
"X Socialist ideas were seen as overtaken, most Americans regarded their liberal ¡V capitalist opinions as the guiding line
"X Leisure time and entertainment suddenly played a more important role in American life
New forms of technology, communication and entertainment
The new forms of technology in the 1920s were a certain liberator for many Americans. Electrical appliances, such as the iron, the washing ¡V machine and the vacuum eased the home maintenance workload. Telephones, along with the already well established telegraph system allowed quicker, easier communications. The new reliable and portable typewriters increased productivity. Automobiles, arguably the most important catalyst for social change in the 1920s gave Americans a new freedom to leave the home, neighbourhood, town or state whenever they wanted to.
Especially the automobile industry was one of the mainstays of the post ¡V war boom, between 1920 and 1930, the number of those who owed an automobile increased from ¡§only¡¨ 8 million up to more than 20 million people.
This great success for the automobile industry based on assembly ¡V line production and piecework. Publicity also stylised the ¡§auto¡¨ as a cult object, a must ¡V have, a status symbol.
Inside the entertainment world, technology provided irresistible distractions. The first radio station started its program in 1920 in Philadelphia, and in 1926, NBC had established a nationwide radio program.
The radio began to broadcast news reports, sports scores and music. Improvements in sound recording methods and the phonograph made listening to records more enjoyable.
Movies, at first blurry and grainy, cleared - and by the end of the decade included synchronized soundtracks. In 1927, Warner Brothers Pictures published the first full-length sound film. The entertainment industry of Hollywood, California was booming, its movies, called ¡§Hollywood-movies¡¨ were regarded as an authentic expression of the light joy of life of a ¡§young¡¨ society.
In 1930, about 100 millions out of a total population of 120 million people went to the movies once a week, whereas only 60 million people went to the holy mass.
Hollywood was creating new trends in fashion and lifestyle and also starts changing peoples¡¦ ideas of their beauty idols.
The airplane and the machine gun were further revolutionary technical inventions.
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