The social movement in the 1960s
The study of social movement increasingly developed from the 1990s. However the works were focused on the results and the processes of social movement, while few scholarships have dealt with the consequence. Little attention has been paid particularly on the broader social and cultural impacts of social movement.
There is a study which argues that the New Left activities has am impact on the life course of the individuals as well as of the baby boomer generation in general. The normative life course which begins with formal education, paid employment, marriage and parenthood, was avoided by the several baby boomers. They had an alternative life course, that is, cohabitation, never married, no children and delaying age at marriage and birth of first child.
This change occurred partly because of the demographic and market pressure. Benefiting from the boom economy and the relatively small size of the preceding generation, the early boomers had great opportunities to get jobs so that they could spend the normative life course. In contrast, confronting the stagnant economy and intense competition, it was difficult for the younger generation to get jobs and then they postponed the entrance into adulthood.
But it can be said the social movement took a role for this change. By the rise of New Left and Counterculture, many youth confronted a different socialization processes. The demographic and market pressure was mediated by the social movement.
However the change of life course can be negative impact. Recently the corruption of citizenship in the U.S. is pointed out. This began particularly after the late 60s or the early 70s.
I’m not sure the New Left activities have something with this change, but it is important to study the period when the several great changes began. Immanuel Wallerstein defines the year of 1968 as a watershed, when new kind of social movements occurred worldwide. And other scholar says that the virtue of materialism has spread after the late 1960s. I suspect the social movement took an important role as actors to promote the changing virtue.
Questions and Answers
Q1. In Japan young people had no interest in politics and social problem in 70-80’s. Were there same circumstances in USA?
A1. The circumstances were different between Japan and USA. But a political environment became conservative in USA too.
Q2. The social movement in the 60’s destroyed many things. But it couldn’t construct anything, isn’t it?
A2. I think there are the personal influence and the social and cultural impact.
Q3. How do you about background? Do you have a kind of sympathies with social movement?
A3. I have some sympathy.
Q4. Why do you want to study about the social movement?
A4. I want to know the influence which the baby boom generation gave in the American society.
Other Comments
1. The importance of social movement has to be placed in the course of history.
2. In our time the conservatries are showing a concrete course in future as the left wing.
Edited by MORIMOTO Keita