Introduction
The United States of America has gradually been growing and developing as a unique, strong, and independent nation. While the history of the US cannot be called clean of controversy or bad decisions, it is generally agreed that the country is going in the right direction, with steady strides towards progressive policy and government rule. Speaking of the many periods of American history, the 1920s can be noted as a rather interesting period, as it brought a variety of changes with it, both positive and negative. The decade introduced America to an array of new cultural trends, traditions, and customs, as well as allowing the people to financially prosper in the booming economy.
This period can also be classified as a time for recovery from World War I, as people were ready to lead normal lives again. Curiously, however, this period is regarded with the mixed sentiment in historic overviews, much to the credit of the ruling party at the time and the actions taken by the country’s president. Some consider the roaring 20’s to be a progressive period, allowing the country to develop in new, unforeseen ways and give people a much-needed period of peace, while others regard it as a starting point for the spread of conservatism in modern America. The statement leading to the creation of this paper is: “Despite popular conceptions, the 1920s is best described as a conservative era”. I think the statement is true and warrants a deeper look at the political, social, and economic landscape of that time period. In this work, an attempt to explain the conservative tendencies of the 1920s will be made.
The Republican Government
The 1920s were a period in the history of the USA when the democratic party lost its influence over the government, and the republicans had a period of active work. The American population had a rather extensive period of reform previously, and the counteraction to that process manifested in the politics of the ’20s. The three presidents of this period were Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover, none of which are explicitly remembered for their policy or competent management of the country. The politics of the time were mostly focused on returning to the sense of normalcy and the pre-war state of the country, with more conservatives approaches to leadership and policy (Jarmul, 2006).
One of the major points of development in the decade was the freedoms and expansions given to business entities. Corporate growth was heavily encouraged, and the actions of big market players were unrestricted by legislation. This allows the businesses to prosper and develop, at the expense of the working class and the citizenry of the country. On the defense issues and foreign policies, the country similarly took a more cautious and fearful approach, as immigration was severely restricted. Following World War I, tensions regarding other countries rose, and the idea of immigrants taking people’s jobs and muddying the culture of the country took root. The legislation used in this period, therefore, sought to limit the number of new immigrants by controlling their ability to enter the country, which served to close America off from the rest of the world.
Changes in Attitude
Other modern practices and tendencies were also strongly opposed, as they were seen in a largely negative light by both the population and the people in positions of power. One of the more well-known means of constricting the population was the Prohibition laws, enforced to ban the consumption of alcohol in the country (Jarmul, 2006). Not only were they seen unfavorably by the people, but they also opened up a lot of opportunities for illegal business. With the ban on alcoholic drinks, many saw them as a way to make profits, starting an illegal market and selling cheap alcohol for high prices. The uptick in contrafact products not only endangered the public but also worked to nullify the benefits the law could have brought with it. Another way in which the conservative agenda manifested was the movement to prohibit schoolbooks and science from being taught and distributed.
Religious folk saw scientific advancement and changes in educational practices as an affront to religion and sought to enforce a more secular Christian view of the world. This effort not only set the generations of Americans back in terms of education but also worked to delegitimize the findings of scientific studies and professionals. Ideas about such topics as biology and Darwin’s theory of evolution were looked down upon by the rural conservative majority, and the common by that time knowledge of the origin of species was largely banned in America (Jarmul, 2006). The inability to let go of religious tradition in favor of factual evidence and a newer perspective contributed to both developing and reinforcing existing biases of the American populace, which led to a variety of negative consequences down the line.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would say that the 1920s were a rather conservative period in American history, largely due to the presidential lead at the time and the need for the country to recover from the effects of the first World War. When the people desire normalcy, the move towards conservative thought is expected, as people desire to take back the things they found to be normal before a period of unrest. The policies of the American government at the time favored the development of business interest and economic growth while paying far less attention to social policy and the good of the common people. Taxation cuts, encouragement of monopolies, and other benefits were granted to companies, allowing them to expand and occupy the market. In terms of the outward policy, the 1920s were known for their anti-immigration fearmongering and the closing off of the country.
The attempts to limit foreign immigration sought to increase the public tensions in regard to other countries and reinforce the myths of American exceptionalism. Anti-progress, anti-scientific movements were also seen, with the emergence of conservative Christian folk, who saw rapid advancements in science and technology as a threat to their understanding of the world. Actions to limit the availability of scientific information were made, and a regression back to the more religion-based forms of education was also evident. Overall, while the country was exposed to a variety of new cultures and trends during this time, its core trajectory became far more conservative than before.
References
Jarmul, D. (2006). A Turn to the Right: Conservatism Grows in America in the 1920s. VOA. Web.