1920s Social Changes Essay

Huy Nguyen
08 March, 2023 Social Changes The major cultural and societal changes in the 1920s that paved the way to the Great Depression were the consumer economy, the prohibition of alcohol, and tariffs. These changes were the leading cause of the beginning of the Great Depression time period in America. The consumer economy was the first reason for the Great Depression. The introduction of installment plans gave citizens in the US a way to buy more products without having to pay the full amount immediately. The source, Information on Increasing Consumerism, states, “With these plans, people with modest incomes could buy goods that would otherwise be beyond their reach… Regardless, throughout the 1920s, many Americans indulged in buying

For instance, crime rates increased rapidly all around the nation, from selling to buying alcohol illegally. The source, Information on Prohibition, claims, “However, Prohibition also had the opposite effect: many people’s drinking surged upwards, taking on an intense, exciting edge as they devised ingenious ways to get around the law.” This proves that crimes just only increased following the prohibition of alcohol. Another instance shows illegal companies making money from the people. The source states, “Capone alone amassed a personal fortune of $40 million and made $100 million for his crime organization.” This demonstrates how much profit companies make off of illegally selling alcohol to citizens. The prohibition of alcohol was another step toward the beginning of the Great

For example, the Fordney-McCumber Tariffs Act was enforced by the U.S department of state to protect businesses in the U.S. According to the Department of State, claims, “The Fordney-McCumber Tariffs Arc raised tariffs above the level set in 1913; it also authorized the president to raise and lower a given tariff rate by 50% to even out foreign and domestic production costs.” This presents the purpose of the enforcement of the Fordney-McCumber Tariffs Act. Another incident that was the cause of tariffs was a decline in every economic value in America, According to the article, Tax foundation, it states, “Historical evidence shows tariffs raise prices and reduce available quantities of good and services for U.S businesses and consumers, which resulted in lower income, reduced employment, and lower economic output.” Also, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act worsened the economic problems the U.S was already facing. From the article, Smoot-Hawley Tariffs, it states, “it raised the prices of imports to the point that they became unaffordable for all but the wealthy, and it dramatically decreased the amount of exported goods, thus controlling bank failures, particularly in agricultural regions.” This proves the impact tariffs have on the economy in America and how destructive it is. After all, tariffs prove to be a significant factor in leading the nation to the Great