Economy in 1920s
Short term factors
Laissez faire
Rugged individualism
Protectionism
Technological change
New business methods
Consumerism and advertising
reasons for consumerism
advertising
credit
Car industry
assembly line
workforce
Benefits of the industry
Road building
Stock Market boom
Cooliage thought gov should be involved as little as possible in economy
Under Harding and Cooliage this lead to prospering economy
Low tx and few regulations meant more profit and laws on price fixing ignored
people achieved success through their own hard work
Originated when American moved west making a new life for themselves
Republican government put tariffs on imported goods to avoid competition
Fordney McCumber Tariff (1922) raised import duty to the highest ever
Reduction of income tax - more expendable income Mellon tax reductions to $3.5 billion
Lead world changes in technology especially with the introduction of electricity
Conveyer belts and mass production was introduced to more industry's it bikes improving productivity
Plastic ie Bakelite helped household products and concrete mixers improved industry. New materials, new buildings ie skyscrapers
big growth in large corporations ie 1929 200 corps 20% of nations wealth
Cartels ( GROUPS AGREEING ON A PRICE) fixed prices and gov ignored it / US Steel so big they could dictate output and price through the industry/ Also created holding companies ( control the smaller companies and the market)
management science was created with business schools , 89 by 1928
1927 63% of homes had electricity encouraging electrical goods i.e. the use of gas quadrupled
Growth of female employment need for labour saving devices and hire purchase made it easier
Popularity of entertainment meant more grammar phones and majority of workers 1923 and 1929 wage rose by 8%
Hired psychologists to design campaigns and target people. ie lucky strikes were torches of freedom, smoking in public.
the growth of industry required a market , it was necessary to buy things frequently not ones that would last for life ( ford model T)
by 1929 companies spending $3 billion. Mass media and radio helped with radio audience at 50 million ads were introduced
much easier to buy goods without the immediate money
50% of goods sold in 1920's were payed by hire purchase
End of 1920's 4.5 million cars on the road
1913 Ford produced the assembly line after seeing how efficient it was in meat packing
Saved time as the tools were brought to the worker who did not have to move from one spot
1920 Fort Factory Detroit producing 1 car every 10 seconds
Ford encouraged his workers but they found the assembly line boring so in 1914 ford increased wages to $5 and reduced shift lengths.
Ford also brought down the price of cars by 1926 had dropped by $450 could use hire purchase- more accessible.
Used a lot of resources that provided jobs for over 5 million people and made hire purchase a way of life for most americans
Enabled average americans to buy a car, promoting road building, travel, motels and resturants . 4.5 million in production by 1929
Main business was Ford Chrysler and General Motors
Breaking Laissez fair the Fede4ral Highway Cat 1921 responsibility for gov to make roads. 10,000 miles per yr by 1929- not wnough for the traffic
1936 reported 25-50% of modern roads were worn out due to the amount of traffic. But improved transportation for goods in industry
Value of stocks and shares rose dramatically 28-29 as well as the buying and selling with ordinary people getting involved.
Most companies shares would rise, people would lend money to buy shares and then pay back the bank after the profit was made- Buying on the margin
By 1928 there was a bull market ( time when stocks are rising) and in 1929 1.1 billion shares were sold. Over the decade 25 mil people became involved.