America in the 1950’s

McCarthyism, which found its main thrust in the Alien Registration Act of 1940, made difficult for immigrants because of its stringent requirements that they declare their political beliefs. These statements were rigorous disclosures of the status of these immigrants—which included current employment status and previous political affiliations. McCarthyism was also responsible for the purging of the Motion Picture industry in Hollywood of persons suspected of being communist sympathizers or activists. In the government’s efforts to upset the position of the Communists in the United States, it succeeded in terrorizing many innocents.

This was occasioned in many courts by the accepting even inconclusive evidence brought against citizens. People loss their jobs and became imprisoned on charges that were non-substantial and that in later years would be deemed unconstitutional or otherwise actionable. Mistrust was bred among immigrant colleagues and members of the motion picture or other industries (Davidson, 2002).

Dynamic conservatism is described as a tendency within a population to struggle for the maintenance of the status quo. This status quo maintenance is found desirable for the sake of stability within a state. The phenomenon is considered dynamic, as it is based on an active attempt to fight against forces that seek to overthrow or change the established order.

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Dynamic conservatism is more than mere resistance to change, as it includes mechanisms that learn from situations and make targeted efforts at strengthening the forces within the organization (or state) that are concerned with preservation of the status quo. With regard to the activities of the 1950’s, dynamic conservatism refers to Eisenhower’s domestic policy that supported and strengthened the New Deal giving it more legitimacy. It involved scaling down of the budget and the removal of federal influence in certain aspects of the country’s running (Davidson, 2002).

Politics of consensus represented a form of agreement within the governmental, economic, and societal bodies. It involves a widespread understanding that consultation among these actors will take place regarding issues that are of national importance. It sought to create a harmonization of the ideas and desires of the influential and representative bodies in the country (such as trade unions and political parties). The party in power creates a system by which it seeks out the input and suggestions of all the involved entities.

This provokes consideration of all the interests that attach to certain political decisions and seeks to ensure the inclusion of these interests in the final solution. The politics of consensus, as is implied by the term “consensus” seeks to identify a solution that is created by all and accepted by all involved. Therefore, rather than decisions being representative of the triumph of one party or group over another, it would reflect the cooperation of all groups in the taking of a political or socio-economic decision.

Before Dwight Eisenhower came to the presidency, Americans faced uncertainty in an economy that was recovering from the depression of the 1920’s and 1930’s while being in the middle of a war (World War II). Consumer confidence was low, as resources were scarce and tapped. However, recovery came during the Eisenhower administration, when the American society entered an era of consumerism in which the values and actions of the consumer played a dominant role in the country’s economics. The economy was growing vastly, and income levels were increasing.

This created not just more money in families, but also more leisure among Americans. Consumer confidence was high, as was confidence in the state of the American economy. This led to increased spending, and the resultant materialism. From the president, Americans no longer required specific action but the assurance that such prosperity would continue, and the moderation that defined Eisenhower’s administration reflected the surface contentment of the American society (Davidson, 2002).

While the exact beginning of the Civil Rights Movement is unclear, a major revolutionary marker was the Supreme Court decision that maintaining and mandating separate facilities for different races was inherently unequal. This occurred in the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education case, which overturned the Plessy vs. Ferguson case over a half century earlier.

This was followed hard upon by the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, which took place in Alabama. It represented a more concerted effort on the part of black persons to garner the recognition of their rights to use the facilities provided by their country in an equal way. This event, which was triggered by the refusal of Rosa Parks to move to the back of a bus, led to an explosion of civil rights demonstrations in the South and around the country.

The United States became interested in helping France to retain hold of its territory in Vietnam. The problem of communism was related to this, as the doctrine of communism containment heralded by Harry Truman targeted the communist stronghold region—South East Asia. This region was made up of many small communist countries, and their size made it more likely that they (rather than larger communist counterparts) should fall.

The domino effect was considered by Eisenhower as how such a fall should occur. He proposed to target one country in that area, and expected the subsequent fall of the others. The initial communist party was begun by Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, who sought independence from the Vichy French. Warlike relations only escalated when the Americans entered into the dispute in order to aid the French, and this assistance only increased upon the invasion of the South Korea by North Korea in 1950.

McCarthyism enabled distrust among the ranks of many political, social, and economic entities in the United States. This distrust fueled not just underground activity and disgruntled feeling toward the United States government, but fierce sentiment against communism also has been considered as a factor in the assassination of later United States presidents and congressmen. It has therefore caused a lot of citizen distrust of the government. Dynamic conservatism.

Dynamic conservatism has impacted such areas as civil rights movement, gay rights and women’s rights, as this tendency defines the actions of such groups that would have preferred that the minorities remain unrepresented and repressed. However, the Civil Rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s has led to an increased level of equality not just for African Americans, but also for other racial minority groups in the United States. It has been the fore-runner of such policies as affirmative action, which grants places within key organizations and key opportunities for minorities.

Politics of consensus has been a method through which harmony has been restored somewhat to the political and social climate of the United States. This form of government has sought to create an open forum in which dialogues now take place regarding issues of great importance to many groups within the country. Consumerism allowed for the expansion of the United States economy, as it boosted consumer confidence, which increased spending and stimulated further economic growth.

The involvement of the U.S. in Southeast Asia led to further involvement and was in the Korea and subsequently in Vietnam. This has had a negative impact on the image of presidents in the White House and upon the government as a whole, especially during the Vietnam War period. Anti-war sentiment regarding this was has continued very far beyond that period. This Southeast Asian involvement led to presidents’ refusal to run for a second term and indirectly contributed to Nixon’s resignation.

Reference

Davidson, J. W. (2002). Nation of nations. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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