A lot has been said about our progress over the past 100 years. And though this article may seem to state the obvious, it’s good to have a recap. Progress has come in two forms: social and economic. Since much of social has been fueled by economic, let’s start there.
Economic
Economist, Robert J. Gordon, says that before the Civil War (1860s) the average American home was completely isolated. But by 1940, it was connected in five ways:
- electricity
- gas for heat
- running water
- waste disposal (sewage)
- telephone
Before electricity, food was cooked on a coal or wood stove. There were no refrigerators, washing machines, or dryers (so groceries were bought often and laundry took forever), and air conditioning was out of the question. Not to mention electric light, electric fans, or anything else we plug in.
Before hot water tanks and gas furnaces, buildings were heated by coal or wood stoves. Running water saved the hours of lugging it from river or well. Indoor plumbing was not only more convenient than shuffling to the outhouse, it saved us from waterborne diseases (like cholera). And telephone allowed people to speak with someone not in the same room.
The internal combustion engine along with cross-country highway systems got vehicles on the road and air travel, radio, and television really made things cook. Why? Because feeding all those horses took one sixth of all agricultural output and they left residue on the street (which stunk). Air travel allowed us to move faster than by ship or rail, and radio plus TV were remarkable means to educate and entertain.
These advancements affected more than personal convenience, they greatly enhanced economic productivity. For example, hand tools to power tools—can you imagine? Equipped with electricity and the motor, industry could now pump it out. So rather than making your own clothes, one could buy them. And instead of employing 50% in farming, we freed up many to create new industries.
Social
As living standards increased, we started to feel better about ourselves. Much of which led to social change. Here are the major steps:
- mass education
- freedom from strict religion
- the women’s movement
- birth control, divorce, daycare, and retirement
- gay rights
- combating racism
- health care
- democracy, communism, and the (hopeful) end of imperialism
- society’s focus on children
The industrial revolution (early 1900s) forced society into mass education. No longer was a man able to earn a living by being taught by his father. And the same went for ladies. Primarily because of productivity, we went from 25% living in urban cities to 75%. These new jobs involved all sorts of things that required various forms of learning (and they’re still expanding).
Educating the masses brought about a release from structured religion. No longer were followers willing to accept unnecessary laws in order to be spiritual. Former preachers taught that life was to serve God and only through suffering could one attain paradise, but that notion fell as believers began to think for themselves. And though many of today’s youth believe women were constantly held down, that wasn’t the case. Prior to the past 100 years, women were kept in domestic roles out of necessity. Just think of it. You lived on a farm. No electric appliances. No birth control. No disposable diapers. How could any woman join the labour force when she was so busy working? It wasn’t until we moved into cities (thanks to productivity) that women working outside the home was even possible.
Birth control not only allowed for smaller families, it empowered the sexual revolution. Prior to, society pushed abstinence because, as everyone knows, the pony dance makes babies. But once we got the pill, floodgates opened. Divorce came with the movement of women into day jobs. Now that both sexes no longer required each other for survival the quality of marriage became important. Daycare then followed to accommodate single parents and really took off when grandparents claimed their child rearing days were through. Once everyone got past the guilt of leaving kids with strangers, daycare was fully embraced and is now government subsidized.
Before the modern concept of retirement, seniors simply lived with their children, contributing what they could (domestic skills, child care). But thanks to health care and personal savings, old fogies started buying places in Phoenix. Another major shift. And without getting into detail, people are now allowed to be gay (also against old church rule).
Racism in first world countries was combated and mostly overcome. There are over 160 instances of slavery throughout history. Britain abolished theirs in 1807; France in 1848. But ending slavery was usually followed by forms of racism (since former owners were still convinced of superiority). Slavery in the US ended in 1865, with blacks getting the vote in 1870. But less than 30 years later, the Supreme Court ruled racial segregation was constitutional, paving the way for repressive Jim Crow laws in the South (remember, not all states were slave states). These laws legalized discrimination and stayed in effect until the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Along the way, activists supported entertainers like Nat King Cole (1943-1965) and baseball’s Jackie Robinson (1947), to make public opinion change. Within 45 years, America elected its first black president.
In 1917, almost every country was ruled by a monarch. Only 12 were democracies. Also in 1917, communism was born in Russia. Sure it failed, but progress sometimes involves making mistakes. In the words of Boris Yeltsin, then president of the falling USSR, “Communism was an experiment that should have been tried on a much smaller country.” And since the 1970s, there’s been a huge focus on our youth. People were obviously not happy with how they were raised, and together with smaller families and better economics, kids today are being treated differently. No longer are they viewed as takers to be seen and not heard. Instead, they’re regarded as social responsibilities and the role of being parent is revered.
Summary
It’s important to understand our place in history and that modern civilization is not complete.
In Canada, 64% of adults between the ages of 25-64 have a degree, college diploma, or trades certificate. A lot more than ever before. Education, along with inventions, have unleashed human potential the likes we’ve never seen. It’s easy to see this economically but don’t forget the social changes. And though it’s possible to still witness prior times right before our eyes (since not all countries enjoy the same standards), living in a developed nation has never been better. Bottom line: much of the world is brand new. Remember this when citing history—sometimes it doesn’t repeat itself.
Note: See Robert Gordon’s presentation at TED (the above references start at the 6 minute mark).