The Mirage of Classlessness: Affluence and Labour in 1950s America

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Explaining History, Nick continues his exploration of post-war American affluence. We often think of the 1950s as a golden age of middle-class expansion, where the old divisions of wealth and status melted away under a wave of chrome-plated cars and suburban lawns. But was this "classless society" a reality or a comforting myth?

Drawing again from James Patterson’s Grand Expectations, we delve into the changing nature of work and the rise of the white-collar economy. We examine how unions secured unprecedented benefits like health insurance and paid vacations, creating a unique moment where a steelworker could live a life of bourgeois comfort. Yet, beneath the surface, manual labour remained the backbone of the economy, and inequality persisted. Why did the US labour movement abandon the fight for universal healthcare in favour of employer-based benefits? And how did this decision shape the fragmented social safety net we see today?

Key Topics:

• The Myth of the Classless Society: How affluence disguised, but didn't erase, social stratification.
• The Rise of Fringe Benefits: Why unions prioritized employer-based healthcare over state provision.
• Blue Collar vs. White Collar: The shifting demographics of the American workforce.
• The End of an Era: How financialization and offshoring eventually hollowed out the working-class dream.

Books Mentioned:

• Grand Expectations: The United States, 1945-1974 by James T. Patterson
• Set the Night on Fire by Mike Davis and Jon Wiener
• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

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