What made the 1920's a conservative era?

Answer 1

America in the 1920 was not conservtive in a social sense (as others have pointed out); but it was very conservative in a political sense.

The political conservatism was sparked by three factors:

1. Growth of Communism.
After the Russian Revolution there was a terrible backlash in America. Many people feared the rise of Communism in America, and the government took a sharp turn to the right.

2. The triumph of business. This was the age of the business giants. Left to it's own devices, the American economy became the biggest and most productive on earth. The view of people was that govrnment should stay out of the way of business.

3. The growth of religious fundamentalism. This was a period of marked increase in the numbers of fundamentalist christians. They were politically powerful and connected. They are the ones who pushed for "Prohibition." They were also active in trying to put down the teaching of "Darwinism," as well. Located primarily in the South, unfortuantely, many of these people were also actively opposed to the growing movement for Black civil rights.

These three reasons pretty much sum it up. Cheers.

Answer 2

1. an era of isolationalism
2. an era of big business without government interference
3. an era of the self-made man
4. an era of protectionism on trade
5. an era of Republicanism where they were in the Presidency from March4,1921-March 4, 1933
The Republicans were a bulwark of isolationalism led by Henry Cabot Lodge who opposed the League of Nations and partially through his influence the Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations
2. It was an era of big business without governmental interference . We see this in the lack of governmental legislation concerning business and the rampant speculation on the stock market. A quote of the era which is a symbol of the era was Coolidge's statement that the business of America is business.
3. It was the era of the self made man as opposed to governmental bureaucracy and the idea of the Welfare State as imaged in the Great Depression and the New Deal of FDR in the 1930's. In the midst of the Great Depression, Hoover did try to help but he believed in that idea of the self-made man and picking up yourself without too much help from the government which is shown in the lack of funds for charitable needs. He meant well but he was a manof his Republican and Quaker values which restricted him.
4.It was an era of protectionism on trade as opposed to tariff on imported goods . The Hawley Smoot Tariff in the Depression was not only against international trade but also symbolized in the isolationistic spirit of the 1920's in which we desired to stay out of European affairs on a political and economic level.
5. It was an era of Republicanism where the party delve back to its conservative roots concerning fiscal policy , military growth, governmental interference,and the end of Progressivism Era which was part of the first 25 years of the century. It would take a Second World War and the US involvement which would end the isolationistic spirit which dominated the 1920's.

Answer 3

Conservative era? I never heard that. It was a decade of fads like flappers, crossword puzzles were big, polesitting, and stock market gyrations. There were Republican presidents in Coolidge, Hoover and Harding. Maybe that's what you mean.

Answer 4

the republicans were the liberal party in the old days. remember abolition? the conservative movement took over the republican party in the 60's when they wrapped themselves in the bible. I'll never understand how hatred, intolerance, greed and aggression became the party of Jesus.

Answer 5

Flappers, jazz and bathtub gin? What was conservative about the 20s?