Konzumní společnost jako hlavní faktor hospodářské expanze USA v 50. letech 20. století

The main purpose of this thesis is to analyse factors of economic growth in the United States of America in the 1950s, which was mostly caused by the expansion of households´ consumption developing with the establishment of mass consumption society. The thesis defines the term of consumption society and then it describes the development of the consumption and the American economy from the 1920s to the 1950s. In analytical part of thesis there is a quantification of separated development of gross domestic product components. It is proven that consumption had an essential impact on the economy of the United States of America in the 1950s. The main hypothesis, which claims that the growth of American economy in the 1950s was caused by the rise of agregate demand and consuption in a mass consumer society, therefore was verified. This consumption and disponsible income of households was neither determined by the quantity of government transfer, nor it was significantly limited by taxes. Since American households consumed most of their disponsible income consequently savings were relatively low. In the last chapter some of the most important factors of establishing the mass consumption society and a change in consumers´ habits are analysed. In the 1950s, there was a significant growth of consumption of durable goods, especially automobiles and recreational goods. Expansion was also apparent in purchasing of services. Particulary significant growth was recorded in consumption of financial services, housing services and healthcare services. The main importance of this thesis consists in quantification and explanation of these phenomena which are characteristic for present-day consumers´ behavior as well.