Essay On Poverty In America After Ww2

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World War II led to a significant decrease in poverty in America after the Great Depression. After World War II, the unemployment rate dropped from 14.6 percent to 1.2 percent (Higgs, 1992). This was because, during the war, 17 million new jobs were created for civilians. During the war, corporate profits doubled and industrial productivity increased to 96 percent. The increase in productivity caused more goods to be produced for consumers. World War II also brought about a change in the distribution of income. Women and African Americans could enter the workforce for the first time. With more money in circulation, the economy was greatly improved, leading to much better housing conditions and fewer people living in poverty (Goodwin, 1992). America greatly benefited from World War II because they were able to develop better technology and products beneficial for fighting. During World War II, America was in constant need of new and …show more content…

It led to more of an integrated workforce because a lot of men left their jobs to go fight in the military so factories needed workers. Many women ended up filling the factory jobs that were typically for men and by the end of the war, ⅓ of the people working were women. After the end of World War II, many women were forced out of the workforce when the men returned from fighting. However, during the war women were able to prove that they could join the workforce, and within the next few decades, it became common to see women in the workforce (Archives.gov Staff, 2016). World War II also launched the start of the Civil Rights movement. After African Americans threatened a “March on Washington,” President Roosevelt formed the Federal Employment Practices Committee and banned discrimination in defense industries. African Americans were allowed to fight in the military and social pressure to end segregation greatly increased (NPS.gov Staff,

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