20th Century American History - Economic Aspects - General & Miscellaneous, Economic Conditions in the United States, 20th Century American History - Social Aspects - General & Miscellaneous, 19th Century American History - Social Aspects, Organizational
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Overview
In a provocative new interpretation of a transforming era in American history, Maury Klein examines the forces that turned the United States from a rural agricultural society to an urban industrial one. Integrating social, economic, and business history, he stresses the driving role of technology and the emergence of a complex society of many cultures, lacking a cohesive center. The rise of a corporate economy, described by Mr. Klein, resulted in productive miracles unequaled elsewhere—but at the cost of great social dislocation in American life. Gradually there arose a society that organized and formalized traditional American values in new and unexpected ways. This transformation produced a surprising new center for the diverse and fragmented American social order: the consumer economy. The new order flowered after the turn of the century and was advanced by the consequences of World War I, which left the United States as the world's major power. The Flowering of the Third America is a vivid and authoritative portrait of the making of modern America.Synopsis
In a provocative new interpretation of a transforming era, 1850D1920, Klein integrates social, economic, and business history and stresses the driving role of technology in creating a complex society of many cultures. As increasing organization made life more fragmented and alienated for ordinary persons, Klein argues, a unifying social thread was provided by a surprising new source: the consumer economy. American Ways Series.
Journal of American History
A balanced book...packed with significant facts...clear and concise.
Editorials
CHOICE
In seemingly effortless prose . . . done with freshness and skill.Journal of American History
A balanced book . . . packed with significant facts . . . clear and concise.Virginia Quarterly Review
Klein does an admirable job synthesizing a great deal of information.Choice
In seemingly effortless prose...done with freshness and skill.Virginia Quarterly Review
Klein does an admirable job synthesizing a great deal of information.Journal of American History
A balanced book...packed with significant facts...clear and concise.Publishers Weekly -
As corporations came to dominate American life in the second half of the 19th century, individualism remained ``the most prized virtue of our folklore.'' But in reality, asserts Klein, big corporations, lobbies, political machines and professional associations gained vast powers at the expense of consumers, workers, reformers and the disorganized poor and struggling. This vibrant, concise social history of America's transformation from a rural, agrarian society to an urban, industrialized, multicultural one demonstrates that increasing organization of the corporate economy paradoxically made life ever more fragmented and alienated for ordinary persons. To fill the gap, argues Klein, a University of Rhode Island history professor, the consumer economy provided a unifying social thread with standardized products, films, magazines, radio, sports and other cultural meeting points. Klein ( The Life and Legend of Jay Gould ) crams in a wealth of information on everything from the invention of Coca-Cola to the economic havoc following WW I. (Oct.)Library Journal
From his analysis of the leading economic, technological, industrial, and social developments of the period, Klein concludes that it was not until the years between 1865 and World War I that the United States was transformed from an agrarian economy into a powerful industrial nation--``the Third America.'' It still lacked a cohesive center because of continuing racial, ethnic, and religious differences. The rise of the consumer economy and its rapid expansion with growing prosperity, however, gave the nation a needed unifying force by about 1920. Klein ( The Life and Legend of Jay Gould , LJ 4/15/86) provides original and stimulating insights, which are sometimes obscured by a writing style plagued by loose organization, redundancy, and excessive and sometimes trivial detail. The bibliographies are excellent. Suitable for school and public libraries.-- Harry Frumerman, formerly with Hunter Coll., CUNYBook Details
Published
January 1, 1996
Publisher
Dee, Ivan R. Publisher
Pages
224
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9781566630306