American Women's Living Condition And Women's Movements In 1920s And 1930s

The 1920s and the 1930s are an interim time between the World War I and World War II, and which was also at low tide between the first feminism movement and the second feminism movement. During this time America society experienced the progress from prosperous to crisis, then to resurgence, during which the great changes were taken place in politics, economy, society and culture. During this time the American women's lives were colorful, and their appearance, behaviors, marriage, family and employment were appeared new feature. During the 1920s, the Consumer Society was emerged and new forms of communication forged common information and values. American women enjoyed modern material wealth and spiritual civilization. The "New Women" was especially noticeable who were independent in mind and action. They became the prominent representative figures of woman's liberty, and they were the symbol of the Twenties. But along with the Great Depression arrival, the American woman's living condition were taken a sudden turn and then developed rapidly. During the 1930s the American women's marriage, family and employment all received the huge impact from the great depression, they withstood dual tribulation of the deficient matter and the mental suffering, tried to be survived the crisis, and maintained the family and own survival diligently. They not only underwent the great depression test, moreover had the enhancement in the family and society's status. This article selects the living condition of the women to conduct the case study, and to inspect the American women's marriage and family, the employment and the situation in political and the social movement during this time, and then the author points out that the status and roles of the American woman in family and society changed along with the changes of social economy, politics and culture. Then, on the base of the case study, the author inquires further into the interaction relations between the vicissitude of social politics, economy and culture and the changes of woman's status and roles. Woman's living condition is restricted by the standard of outside world, and the changes of social politics, economy and the culture has the fundamental influence to their lives. If the women want to obtain true liberation, their own endeavor is the key of their equality and liberation. The financial independence is foundation for the woman moves towards equality and liberation. Weather in the personal domain or in public domain, the feminine status and roles is decided by its autarchy ability at very great degree, which is the motive power of the woman's ideological liberation and individual development. But the economical equality not only is decided by the level of productive forces, but also is restrained by social and the cultural level. These all need to be made great efforts through long-term. At the same time, the traditional cultural strength is formidable similarly, and the women are unable to dodge the restriction of social culture and the tradition. The idea liberation and economical equality are equally important in moving towards...