Life in 1950s
Life in Australia in 1950s
Life in Australia after WWII was remarkably different to life before the war. There are many aspects of life that changed, including leisure, the role of women and the development of Industry. These reasons all combined to dramatically change life in the 1950s.
For women in the 1950s, life was centred on the family and domestic duties. During the war women became accustomed to the workforce, and the return of men marked the end of their working life. Women who held wartime jobs were expected to return home to their family and resume their roles as mothers and produce what is now known as the ‘Baby Boomer generation’. With most women leaving the workforce, many well-paying jobs became available for returning war veterans. With women taking the back seat in society, the push for equality was on the rise.
With the population booming, the future for Australian Industries looked prosperous. After decades of suffering through the Great Depression and World War II, people were encouraged to spend their money freely, none more so than the large families of the Baby Boomer Generation. Australian families wanted to settle down, and with 57 000 houses being built, the inflation of housing opportunities made it possible for families to buy houses for affordable prices. However the increase of housing opportunities did not come without a cost. Many suburbs lacked support facilities, and a shortage of building materials such as timber and brick, meant that other materials such as cement and Masonite were used. The Australian population was on the road to a prosperous future and the War was becoming a distant memory. Australia was headed for a life of luxury and indulgence.
Technology advanced rapidly after the war and soon transformed the lives of many Australians. Cars had become the greatest symbol of prosperity, and gave people a new mobility that would change the nation's patterns of leisure and living. The 1950s was the decade of
Life in Australia after WWII was remarkably different to life before the war. There are many aspects of life that changed, including leisure, the role of women and the development of Industry. These reasons all combined to dramatically change life in the 1950s.
For women in the 1950s, life was centred on the family and domestic duties. During the war women became accustomed to the workforce, and the return of men marked the end of their working life. Women who held wartime jobs were expected to return home to their family and resume their roles as mothers and produce what is now known as the ‘Baby Boomer generation’. With most women leaving the workforce, many well-paying jobs became available for returning war veterans. With women taking the back seat in society, the push for equality was on the rise.
With the population booming, the future for Australian Industries looked prosperous. After decades of suffering through the Great Depression and World War II, people were encouraged to spend their money freely, none more so than the large families of the Baby Boomer Generation. Australian families wanted to settle down, and with 57 000 houses being built, the inflation of housing opportunities made it possible for families to buy houses for affordable prices. However the increase of housing opportunities did not come without a cost. Many suburbs lacked support facilities, and a shortage of building materials such as timber and brick, meant that other materials such as cement and Masonite were used. The Australian population was on the road to a prosperous future and the War was becoming a distant memory. Australia was headed for a life of luxury and indulgence.
Technology advanced rapidly after the war and soon transformed the lives of many Australians. Cars had become the greatest symbol of prosperity, and gave people a new mobility that would change the nation's patterns of leisure and living. The 1950s was the decade of