The baby boom

After the World War II ended, America experienced different events some of which shaped the society. The baby boom had the greatest impact. The baby boom was a population expansion that occurred between the years 1946 and 1964 (Mankiw & Weil, 1989). The event shaped the political and social landscape of America and changed where and how many of the Americans lived. In the 1930s, during the great depression, the population of America dropped to a low of nine million. The pressure from the depression discouraged people from having children. However, after the war, the economy proved to be very strong. This encouraged families to have children and the population increased by 19 million in the 1940s.

The dramatic increase in the population can be accredited to several factors.  Many Americans feared the Post war depression. However, earlier legislation ensured that there was a smooth transition from the wartime economy to a peaceful economy. A good example is the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, known as the GI Bill of Rights which was signed to law in 1944. This particular act allocated 13 million dollars to helping the soldiers who were engaged in the war with vocational training,  unemployment insurance, paying for higher education, medical treatment, and loans for building new houses (Mankiw & Weil, 1989).

The baby boom was felt by all sectors in the economy. For example, the manufacturers of baby food reaped great profits due to the high demand. The baby boom also spurred the expansion of the suburban. As the population increased, cities and urban areas became crowded and people escaped to suburban areas.

 

Reference

Mankiw, N. Gregory, and David N. Weil. “The baby boom, the baby bust, and the housing market.” Regional science and urban economics 19, no. 2 (1989): 235-258.

 
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