1920s Contradictions Which Contributed to the Development of America

1920s Contradictions
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1920s Contradictions
The 1920s in the US are characterized by contradictions that significantly contributed to the development of America in the 1920s and beyond. The 1920s included modernism, urbanism, and other concerns, such as the rising influence of the Ku Klux Klan (Eagles, 1986). Women were granted voting rights, and technological advancement and Jazz Age gained relevance. The country was in conflict between the traditions and the changes or advancement that meant disregard for norms in favor of the new era. Additionally, a significant number of Americans moved from the rural areas in the South that primarily harbored racist attitudes towards the North, in favor of urbanism, especially after the Second World War. In other words, the 1920s can be viewed as the midpoint between America’s past and future, which is currently tied to innovations, movements, and politics. Despite the rising prosperity, the US struggled with intolerance in the 1920s, which signals the contradiction.
A cultural class involving a White extremist group called the Ku Klux Klan gained dominance in the 1920s. The primary focus, in this case, was to challenge the rise of social and economic equality that primarily targeted African Americans. Resultantly, the country underwent multiple changes, including movements and politics that resulted in amendments that abolished racial segregation in the years that followed. Ku Klux Klan challenged the rising influence of a black culture that included events such as the Harlem Renaissance, which was a black community uprising (Eagles, 1986). The group’s intention was to prevent the profession of the African American race, which had gained relevance and achieved notable success through actions such as the Jazz bands. This signals the widespread intolerance against prosperity, which was drawn from the need to achieve racial equality and ultimately overcome white dominance or supremacy.
Modern culture emerged from the contradictions of the 1920s. The rise of capitalism was imminent, which has been established as an economical form of production that includes prioritizing free market forces. This arguably signaled prosperity, facilitating the rise of US hegemony as a leading global power with economic and political influence on the rest of the world, unlike rivals such as Russia that championed communism in the same era. It further includes prioritizing market forces, including demand and supply, which saw the rise of technology and entertainment. Despite the market crash, the country survived. However, the crash facilitated widespread crime, including the rise of gangsters and illegal businesses such as the sale of illicit alcohol, incl...