‘Henry Ford and the Motor Car Had a Huge Social and Economic Impact Upon America.’ to What Extent Do You Agree with This View?

I agree that Henry Ford and the motor car industry had a huge social and economic impact upon America to a certain extent. Henry Ford was the only individual to revolutionize the motor vehicle industry, he had introduced the method of mass production before the 1920s and the ‘Model T’ vehicle had been made affordable not only to the wealthy but to the middle class as well. The car industry expanded and was the main market for produce i. e. steel and rubber, and cars had ultimately become the most wanted product amongst many consumers.

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Economically, Ford’s techniques were being copied and exceeded by his competitors thus leading to the development of better, modern and unique designs in car industries, demonstrating how Henry Ford and the car industry had an enormous impact in the USA. Henry Ford employed seven percent of workers and paid them nine percent of all the wages, the motor vehicle stimulated many other industries and when it closed momentarily it was shown to be one of the causal factors of the recession.

Wages rose as well due to the assembly lines which made cars cheaper, whereby wages rose steadily of twenty six percent between 1920 and 1929, which enabled credit to be available on the cheapest terms. Furthermore, laissez-faire policy was bent leading to road building in the 1920s, also established the Federal Highway Act of 1921. Cars enabled the creation of new industries such as garages, motels, petrol stations and used car salesrooms. It allowed goods to be easily transported.

Mass production led to the development of labor-saving devices, such as vacuum cleaners and washing machines. In 1920, 1905500 million cars were produced and by 1929, it rose to 4455100 cars being produced. Therefore, economically America was highly affected by Ford and the rising motor car industry. On the other hand, Henry Ford was limited in his creativity because not only were his cars only available in one color but he also saw it as intensifying what he saw as traditional American values.

However, the car enabled families to bond when they were able to go for outings and made it easier for ‘breadwinners’ to look for jobs elsewhere easily, but didn’t realize it was to be used for courting couples and to attend church, as well as the fact that there were to be road deaths at 20000 per year, and that industrial organization would increase trade unionism which he despised. The car had also begun to eliminate divisions between urban and country living, prosperous middle classes were able to travel and discover the countryside.

This paved the way for the founding of motels and wayside restaurants. Cars also enabled the working class to search for jobs elsewhere and were not as limited in occupation choices as before. Poor rural individuals could now use the car to depart mainly to the West or to the cities and so another one of America’s great migrations followed. It is evident that Henry Ford and the car industry had a huge impact on America, allowing Americans many ways to perceive their country and to discover new sights and sounds as well as gain a new and unexpected life experience.

The various migrations and travels which took place due to the introduction of the automobile created a whole new blueprint of living probable, suburbs were beginning to spread over America to the advantage of immense profit of the building industry. Living in cramped quarters near railroad stations were a thing of the past, and there wasn’t the need to go to crowded resorts any longer, because they could now travel where planners such as Robert Moses had prepared parks and beaches for their enjoyment.

Due to the car industry it had stimulated American industry to new accomplishments such as the cinema, and the Hollywood lifestyle expanded whereby alcohol was increased by prohibition and the rich lived luxuriously, surrounded by parties, yachts, furs and cosmetics. Without Ford’s inspiration and the growth of the motor car industry such developments and new creations of luxury items and new consumer goods would not have been possible, showing their importance and affect they had on America.

Henceforth, I do agree to a large extent that Henry Ford and the motor car had a huge social and economic impact upon America. It led to the increase in wages, unemployment decreased, the wealthy became wealthier and the poor were able to search for jobs elsewhere. Consumer goods developed and American family values were reinforced, not only did the car allow many trends to surface but led to the growth of new discoveries and possibilities for expansion for American industry and America as a country itself.

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