Economic: Buy now, Pay later
A car one could buy with this system in place
One of the aspects of the 1920s that made them so wild was the carefree spending that people did. People would buy big expensive items left and right because of the buy now, pay later concept. This concept allowed people buy expensive items without paying for them right away. This system worked for a while, until people started really abusing it. When the system was over abused it left may people in debt and eventually caused the stack market crash that sparked the Great Depression.
Social: Flappers
Women found their freedom during the roaring 20s by defying the social norms expected of them. Flappers were the perfect example of this. They wore dresses only down to their knees which was almost scandalous during previous time periods. Flappers would also go to club and parties where they smoked, drank, and danced publicly. These actions taken by these women changed the way men viewed them and the idea of what was expected from women.
Political: The Prohibition
Prohibition protesters
During the 1920s the government, in an effort to clean up and protect the country, decided to make alcohol illegal. This law, though, had a huge backfire affect. People began bootlegging, illegally buying and selling alcohol. This bootlegging system gave rise to many new rich people who were living off the spoils of their illegal business. The reaction the public had to this law was far worse than any alcohol problem had been before, thus resulting in a repeal of the prohibition.
Do these events lead to progress?
The buy now, pay later was an economic success for a while, and seemed to be working. The end result, which was the stock market crash, was far worse than any previous economic blunders leaving it be only a change in the economy, not progress. Flappers were one of the most important early steps of women gaining equality. Flappers represented the freedom that women deserved as well as progress. The prohibition, was a failure that resulted in something far worse than it should have been, and does not show progress in American society.