How Did The Flappers Affect The Economy

While society and politics were progressing, one of the most prominent economic changes in American history was beginning. The economic boom was caused by many factors, including natural economic growth and mass marketing and production but one of the most important reasons was that Americans started buying on credit. This meant they bought more expensive items then paid them off in installment plans; the items include washing machines, vacuums, and refrigerators (“Buschardt”). At the beginning of the decade, only a number of middle-class consumers bought with credit, yet by the end of the decade, up to 90 percent of consumers bought furniture on credit along with similar increases in many different retail departments, proving that the boom

The flappers were thought to be completely different from the generations before them. Henry L. Mencken, who was a social satirist and humorist at the time, wrote about the new flapper saying that “she herself is no Young Miss, no Young Female. Oh, dear, no! …” (“The Flapper.”). The term “Young Miss” was used to describe the mothers of the new women when they were younger and the term “Young Female” was used for their grandmothers when they were younger (“The Flapper.”). These new women were more rebellious and their values were no longer conventional but focused on getting a better job while the vote made them more influential members of society. The flappers were more independent, adventurous but most of all, they were modern (“Routledge”). The flappers attended more parties and they had more risque dances which they performed to the jazz music of the era. The prohibition created speakeasies, which were underground clubs that people could go to to drink illegal alcohol and listen to controversial jazz music. In these places, flappers would have “petting parties” where they would kiss men in public, which was not commonplace (“The USA: A Nation of Contrasts.”). Petting parties were controversial and many did not support them because it was seen as reckless, yet, the fad did end as the generation who started it grew older, therefore, becoming more involved in working on their careers or settling down and having a family, causing them to lose interest in the rambunctious petting parties. But the petting parties did make “sexual expression more commonplace” so it was effective in changing what was acceptable to do in public, meaning that these parties had a lasting effect on society