The purpose of this research paper is to compare and evaluate youth subcultures between Britain and the United States in the 1950’s. At the time, a post-war economic shift resulted in the manifestation of many subcultures. Thanks to an expanding market of consumerism and a decline in post-war rationing after World War II, young people had the money to spend on fashion and entertainment. The two main subcultures we will analyze in this report are the Teddy boys of Britain, and the “punks” of American society. With the development of rock n roll music and a desire to rebel against the common order, both subcultures were characterized by anti-establishment views and a distinctive style that older generations found aggressive and threatening. The
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In the 1950’s, however, a wave of full employment began and society was finally on the brink of economic and class equality. This shift in economic stability and culture has been accused of leading to the rise of Teddy boys, a subculture of youths who recognized a societal need for entertainment, and found themselves excluded from the power and status that the mid 1950’s brought. The Ted’s, with extra time and money to spare, separated themselves by choice with unique dress and music. The 1950’s in American society was also characterized by similar cultural shifts, and a new age of music was dawning- one that would separate youth’s from adults in the form of Rock n Roll music. This era began the foundation for a new youth subculture, known as “punks.” The punk subculture still today is characterized by a promotion of individual freedoms, anti-establishment perspectives, and non-conformity. While both punks and Teddy boys have been deemed as degenerates among their class cultures, they were revolutionaries of their time. In this research paper we will assess their individual contributions, characteristics, and impact on Britain and American society. While Teddy boys were the more violent of the two subcultures, they were the first group of youths to be recognized as individualistic. Both degraded and accused of society’s ills by the media, punks and Teddy boys each had a unique role to play in the criminalization of youths during the 1900’s and
In the 1950’s, however, a wave of full employment began and society was finally on the brink of economic and class equality. This shift in economic stability and culture has been accused of leading to the rise of Teddy boys, a subculture of youths who recognized a societal need for entertainment, and found themselves excluded from the power and status that the mid 1950’s brought. The Ted’s, with extra time and money to spare, separated themselves by choice with unique dress and music. The 1950’s in American society was also characterized by similar cultural shifts, and a new age of music was dawning- one that would separate youth’s from adults in the form of Rock n Roll music. This era began the foundation for a new youth subculture, known as “punks.” The punk subculture still today is characterized by a promotion of individual freedoms, anti-establishment perspectives, and non-conformity. While both punks and Teddy boys have been deemed as degenerates among their class cultures, they were revolutionaries of their time. In this research paper we will assess their individual contributions, characteristics, and impact on Britain and American society. While Teddy boys were the more violent of the two subcultures, they were the first group of youths to be recognized as individualistic. Both degraded and accused of society’s ills by the media, punks and Teddy boys each had a unique role to play in the criminalization of youths during the 1900’s and