Which decade had a higher standard of living, the 50s or the 90s?

[Thunderbird is the word]

The 50s and 90s in some ways were very similar decades in the US. Peacetime booming economy with new conveniences coming into the mainstream. In the 50s we'd won WW2 and there was a sense of national optimism and in the 90s the Cold War was over and it was the "end of history." I always hear people say that the 50s in some ways was the height of prosperity yet I sometimes wonder if the 90s was actually better. If you look at the unemployment rate in the late 90s it was consistently lower then it was in the 50s. On he other hand the divide between rich and poor was much smaller in the 50s so I guess either would work.

[Sumner 1868]

While wealth was a big chasm in the 1990s, the era was much fairer in conditions toward minorities, women, etc, etc, than the 1950s. Poverty was also much lower than in the 1990s, as the Great Society measure did not exist in the 1950s. The 1950s had three recessions, while the 1990s only had one.

I'm inclined to think the "height" of prosperity was probably 1962-1966. The "50's nostalgia" is a seemingly endless side-affect to Watergate and Vietnam.

[Thunderbird is the word]

While wealth was a big chasm in the 1990s, the era was much fairer in conditions toward minorities, women, etc, etc, than the 1950s. Poverty was also much lower than in the 1990s, as the Great Society measure did not exist in the 1950s. The 1950s had three recessions, while the 1990s only had one.

I'm inclined to think the "height" of prosperity was probably 1962-1966. The "50's nostalgia" is a seemingly endless side-affect to Watergate and Vietnam.

Good points, there is a lot of revisionism regarding the 50s in the popular imagination.

[Thunderbird is the word]

Still I'm actually surprised that so far it's 5-1 for the 90s.

[OSR stands with Israel]

The 50s and 90s in some ways were very similar decades in the US. Peacetime booming economy with new conveniences coming into the mainstream. In the 50s we'd won WW2 and there was a sense of national optimism and in the 90s the Cold War was over and it was the "end of history." I always hear people say that the 50s in some ways was the height of prosperity yet I sometimes wonder if the 90s was actually better. If you look at the unemployment rate in the late 90s it was consistently lower then it was in the 50s. On he other hand the divide between rich and poor was much smaller in the 50s so I guess either would work.

1990s all day. 1996-2001 was the Golden period for America

[Thunderbird is the word]

Excellent points. In some ways then the late 90s for a brief period was possibly the best time in American history, in terms of having unemployment hovering around 4 percent during peacetime.

[Ebsy]

Excellent points. In some ways then the late 90s for a brief period was possibly the best time in American history, in terms of having unemployment hovering around 4 percent during peacetime.

Cheap credit also made it possible to mask the looming threat of stagnant wages by allowing a wide segment of the working and middle class to buy luxuries never before available to them, including new cars and larger homes, among other items.

[Beet]

Excellent points. In some ways then the late 90s for a brief period was possibly the best time in American history, in terms of having unemployment hovering around 4 percent during peacetime.

Cheap credit also made it possible to mask the looming threat of stagnant wages by allowing a wide segment of the working and middle class to buy luxuries never before available to them, including new cars and larger homes, among other items.

Wages were rising during the Clinton years, so credit wasn't needed. Between 1993 and 2000, $11,682 to $13,739 for the bottom 20%, $29,616 to $34,306 for the next 20%, and $49,644 to $57,129 for the next 20%, in constant 2013 dollars. The only period of rising wages from the 1970s to today which included all income quintiles and all races. It's strange that some Democrats today think this is a record that we should be running away from.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

While wealth was a big chasm in the 1990s, the era was much fairer in conditions toward minorities, women, etc, etc, than the 1950s. Poverty was also much lower than in the 1990s, as the Great Society measure did not exist in the 1950s. The 1950s had three recessions, while the 1990s only had one.

I'm inclined to think the "height" of prosperity was probably 1962-1966. The "50's nostalgia" is a seemingly endless side-affect to Watergate and Vietnam.

http://www.realitybase.org/journal/2009/3/10/the-american-dream-died-in-february-1973.html