Social Conflicts Of The Roaring Twenties

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 11th grade April 2001

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The Roaring Twenties had the illusion of prosperity for all. This was the result of the new advancements in technology of that time. The economic transformations brought about changes in all aspects of society and seemed push the nation into an age of modernism and prosperity. However, beneath the success that seemed to permeate during the 20's, immigration, urban growth, and social tensions remained polemic issues. Like any other time of prosperity experienced before, people attempted to counter the new way of life. Many new organizations and ideals arose in response to the new values and attitudes. The Ku Klux Klan, fundamentalism, and prohibition all aimed to reform society. Though the 20's experienced economic success, the issues that came along with that success and the changing times evoked social conflict from different peoples. The conservative political and cultural values that were being espoused threatened to tear the social fabric.

The KKK, fundamentalism, and prohibition struggled to limit the extent of change.

Many felt that immigrants, blacks and new beliefs were tainting the American way of life. The Ku Klux Klan hoped to act as a catharsis to filter out alien influences and other impurities that had corrupted traditional American values. The KKK opposed the theory of evolution, and supported traditional Protestant values and restriction on immigration. The hope ban the immigration of inferior peoples came in response to the nativism of the Klan. Jews, Catholics, and most of all, blacks were the main targets of the Klan. In response to the new values of the 20's, they denounced the Flapper lifestyle and the "demon rum." Traditional family values and ethnic, moral and religious purity that the Klan advocated appealed to many. Also, there was the excitement and cohesion that the Klan provided which led to increased membership. One...