Century of the leisured masses : entertainment and the transformation of twentieth-century America

American living standards improved considerably between 1900 and 2000. While most observers focus on gains in per-capita income as a measure of economic well-being, economists have used other measures of well-being: height, weight, and longevity. The increased amount of leisure time per week and across people's lifetimes, however, has been an unsung aspect of the improved standard of living in America. In __Century of the Leisured Masses__, David George Surdam explores the growing presence of leisure activities in Americans' lives and how this development came out throughout the twentieth century. Most Americans have gone from working fifty-five or more hours per week to working fewer than forty, although many Americans at the top rungs of the economic ladder continue to work long hours. Not only do more Americans have more time to devote to other activities, they are able to enjoy higher-quality leisure. New forms of leisure have given Americans more choices, better quality, and greater convenience. For instance, in addition to producing music themselves, they can now listen to the most talented musicians when and where they want. Television began as black and white on small screens; within fifty years, Americans had a cast of dozens of channels to choose from. They could also purchase favorite shows and movies to watch at their convenience. Even Americans with low incomes enjoyed television and other new forms of leisure. This growth of leisure resulted from a combination of growing productivity, better health, and technology. American workers became more productive and chose to spend their improved productivity and higher wages by consuming more, taking more time off, and enjoying better working conditions. By century's end, relatively few Americans were engaged in arduous, dangerous, and stultifying occupations. The reign of tyranny on the shop floor, in retail shops, and in offices was mitigated; many Americans could even enjoy leisure activities during work hours.Failure to consider the gains in leisure time and leisure consumption understates the gains in American living standards. With __Century of the Leisured Masses__, Surdam has comprehensively documented and examined the developments in this important marker of well-being throughout the past century. American living standards improved considerably between 1900 and 2000. While most observers focus on gains in per-capita income as a measure of economic well-being, economists have used other measures of well-being: height, weight, and longevity. The increased amount of leisure time per week and across people's lifetimes, however, has been an unsung aspect of the improved standard of living in America. In Century of the Leisured Masses , David George Surdam explores the growing presence of leisure activities in Americans' lives and how this development came out throughout the twentieth century. Most Americans have gone from working fifty-five or more hours per week to working fewer than forty, although many Americans at the top rungs of the economic ladder continue to work long hours. Not only do more Americans have more time to devote to other activities, they are able to enjoy higher-quality leisure. New forms of leisure have given Americans more choices, better quality, and greater convenience. For instance, in addition to producing music themselves, they can now listen to the most talented musicians when and where they want. Television began as black and white on small screens; within fifty years, Americans had a cast of dozens of channels to choose from. They could also purchase favorite shows and movies to watch at their convenience. Even Americans with low incomes enjoyed television and other new forms of leisure. This growth of leisure resulted from a combination of growing productivity, better health, and technology. American workers became more productive and chose to spend their improved productivity and higher wages by consuming more, taking more time off, and enjoying better working conditions. By century's end, relatively few Americans were engaged in arduous, dangerous, and stultifying occupations. The reign of tyranny on the shop floor, in retail shops, and in offices was mitigated; many Americans could even enjoy leisure activities during work hours. Failure to consider the gains in leisure time and leisure consumption understates the gains in American living standards. With Century of the Leisured Masses , Surdam has comprehensively documented and examined the developments in this important marker of well-being throughout the past century. At The End Of The 19th Century, Economist Thorstein Veblen Wrote 'the Theory Of The Leisure Class.' A Century Later, The Economic Conditions In America Had Changed Beyond Recognition. Improvements In Agricultural Productivity Led To Better Nutrition And Triggered Improved Productivity And Living Standards Throughout The Economy. American Workers Chose To Take The Benefits Accruing From Economic Growth In The Form Of Higher Wages, Shorter Workweeks, Better Working Conditions And Increased Leisure. This Text Charts The Rise Of Leisure Activities During This Period. -- Provided By Publisher. Definitions If Leisure -- History And Attitudes Regarding Leisure -- The Economics Of Leisure -- Less Work, More Play, And The Rise Of Leisure -- The Rise Of Expenditures On Leisure Goods And Services -- Patterns In Leisure For The Young And The Old -- The Interaction Of Leisure And Public Health -- The Changing Workplace -- The Transformation Of The Domestic Economy -- Commercialized Leisure In The Early 1900s -- Mass Entertainment To The Fore -- Improved Infrastructure And Leisure -- Government And Leisure -- Antitrust Issues And The Leisure Industries. David George Surdam ; Preface By Ken Mccormick. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Text In English. Content: Preface: Veblen and Weber by Ken McCormick Introduction: Why Leisure? Chapter One: Definitions of Leisure Chapter Two: History and Attitudes Regarding Leisure Chapter Three: The Economics of Leisure Chapter Four: Less Work, More Play, and the Rise of Leisure Chapter Five: The Rise of Expenditures on Leisure Goods and Services Chapter Six: Patterns in Leisure for the Young and the Old Chapter Seven: The Interaction of Leisure and Public Health Chapter Eight: The Changing Workplace Chapter Nine: The Transformation of the Domestic Economy Chapter Ten: Commercialized Leisure in the Early 1900s Chapter Eleven: Mass Entertainment to the Fore Chapter Twelve: Improved Infrastructure and Leisure Chapter Thirteen: Government and Leisure Chapter Fourteen: Antitrust Issues and the Leisure Industries Epilogue: More Leisure, Better Leisure, Cheaper Leisure American living standards improved rapidly during the twentieth-century. The rise of leisure, both in terms of time allotted and in terms of consumption of leisure goods and services, was astounding. When social critic Thorstein Veblen penned Theory of the Leisured Class, Americans were just beginning to enjoy more and better leisure.