p.
# Notes Significance
• Middletown published
1929, as the study in
modern American culture
• Transformation of
American society began in
WW1
• Business-government
partnership continued
throughout 1920s
• Economy regulated itself
with minimal govt
regulation
• Business leaders were no
longer villains but
respected public leaders
• Many women tried to
break into party politics,
but Democrats and
Republicans granted them
only token positions on
party committees; women
were more influential as
lobbyists.
• Politics in the Republican
"New Era"
• The electorate turned away
from progressivism in 1920
and elected the Republican
Warren G. Harding to the
presidency, guaranteeing
the return of a probusiness
conservative
administration. The most
active member of the
administration was
Secretary of Commerce
Herbert Hoover, who set
about organizing a
voluntary government-
business relationship. His
plan was to provide
information and support to
businesses with the
assumption that they would
voluntarily work on behalf
of the public interest.
668
Government and big
business often ignored
antitrust laws, and
corporations used
government assistance to
enlarge their economic
power. By the 1920s, the
progressive spirit of reform
had declined in the face of
Connections
• Became unexpected
best seller
• Development in
mass national
culture
• Progressivism
consumptionism
• 1920s, 1980,
2000s, present-
all similar to
republican
• Americans were power
unenthusiastic about
increased taxation
and more
governmental
bureaucracy after
enduring years of
progressive reforms
and an expanded
federal presence in
World War I.
• Secretary of the
Interior Albert Fall
was sent to prison
for bribery in
connection with the
Teapot Dome
scandal, and when
Harding died
suddenly in August
1923, Vice
President Calvin
Coolidge became
president, promising
an honest
administration; he
won the election of
1924 handily.