【Abstract】1920s America embraced an age of prosperity and liberation. Economy soared that raised people’s living standard. People learn progressive ideas， and society become more democratic.
　　【Key words】Socioeconomic； 1920s； progressivism； America liberation
　　On balance， the 1920s can best be understood as a decade of progress and liberation. First， the economy grew rapidly， raising the living standard of American citizen. Second， people in the 1920s embraced progressive ideas and celebrated urban， modern cultures. Third， American citizens experienced more social equality and freedom in the 1920s.
　　America in the 1920s experienced an economic great leap forward that made people’s life better. After WWI， the American became the largest creditor of Europe instead of debtor. American GDP started from 36.4 billion in the 1921 to 93 billion in 1924（Zeitz）. Both upper class and lower class benefited from economic progress in the 1920s. The industrial production index rose 70 percent from 1922 to 1928， making industry related companies to gain more profit， and in the same time workers wage rose 22 percent （Library of Congress）. More college students majored in economy than before because teenage were ambitious to become rich in this booming economy. Nick， the protagonist in Great Gatsby came from mid-west of America to Yale to study bonds. In Gatsby’s party， Nick was sure that there were plenty of people who were not invited were selling bonds and insurances and automobiles（Fitzgerald 42）. Various factors helped the booming economy at that time to make Gatsby’s savage parties possible. Republican president Harding’s pro-business policies contributed to the rapid economic growth. He commissioned the Commerce Department to establish two thousands trade associations to give helpful statistical research and industry-wide standard to big companies， in the same time promoting stable prices and wages（Henretta 646）. World War I also spurred the economic growth of America in the 1920s. Americans gained huge profits by selling natural resources such as oils and food to Allies. Military competitions between allies and central power forced Americans to make military technological advancement that later applied to people’s daily life（Transition in American Cultural Life）. The invention of electricity led to the second industrial revolution， and electricity was largely applied in the 1920s. In 1912， only 16 percent American family had electricity. However， in 1920s， two-thirds American household were electrified. Most families used electric refrigerator and freezer， electric vacuum cleaner， and the automatic washing machine， which reduced much manual labor（Zeitz）. Another technological advancement that made the economy stronger and world smaller was the automobile. By 1929， Americans produced 80 percent of the world automobile， which stimulated the production of steel， petroleum，， chemical， rubber， and glass， creating 3.7 million jobs（Henretta 659）.The rise of the automobile helped America to build a stronger economy by improving the transportation system. Cars were able to go to remote and crowded places where trains and planes could not go. The booming economy in the 1920s led to a culture of consumerism. The mass production lowered the price of goods and services， making people to purchase as much as possible. People formed a habit of wasting by consumerism. Gatsby often bought 5 crates of oranges and lemons for savage parties on weekends. Gatsby owned a machine that could turn two hundred oranges to orange juice in half an hour（Fitzgerald 41）. Gatsby ignored farmers’ hard work. He was proud of wasting oranges away because it was a proof of his wealth. Gatsby believed in consumerism that as long as he purchased those oranges legally， no moral issues should be concerned. In a consumerism world， money could buy pleasure and happiness， and that was all what the rapid economic growth of roaring twenties about. Advertisement emerged as a byproduct of consumerism. It existed mostly in the form of posters and radios in 1920s. McClure's Magazine was especially popular in the 1920s and contained different advertisements. In one picture of the McClure’s Magazine， a woman kissed the air with her beautiful lip， and aside the poster wrote “New！ Different！ Exquisitely modern！ Daintily thin！”（McClure's）. The lipstick advertisement informed women that lipstick would enhance their beauty. Women with lipsticks with would be more attractive than women without lipsticks.