Why does the 1970s get painted as such a bad decade?

BBC ^ | 4/16/12 | BBC

[DallasBiff]

Of all post-war decades, the 1970s has undoubtedly had the worst press, but the truth is that most ordinary families in 1970s Britain were better off than ever, writes historian Dominic Sandbrook.

The 1950s are symbolised by the television and the washing machine, which transformed the lives of so many families.

We misremember the 1960s as the decade of the Mini, which was actually invented in 1959, the mini-skirt, which surprisingly few women actually wore, and the Pill, which most women never took. We remember the 1980s as the decade of gigantic hair, shoulder-pads, the Filofax and the home computer.

[katana]

Because it was awful. For us, the disgraceful abandonment of our allies in South Vietnam and Iran (thanks, Democrats), a coup d'etat of an elected president (thanks again, MF's), Carter/hyper-inflation and interest rates/"malaise" (need I repeat myself?). To top it off, several of the most bitter cold winters on record. The 80's were like a burst of warm sunshine.

[dfwgator]

Britain blew it when the Tories chose Ted Heath over Enoch Powell.

[Fledermaus]

High unemployment, high interest rates, high inflation.

Just like today without the high unemployment but I think they skew the numbers now.

I was 10 to 20 years old that decade. As a teen I didn’t care. I had a job at a local grocery store, small town in Ark., a car, a hot girlfriend, good movies and music.

[dfwgator]

It wasn't all bad...

[Olog-hai]

We misremember the 1960s as the decade of the Mini, which was actually invented in 1959 …

Wow, so much for the IQ level at the BBC.

The Mini (originally sold as the Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor) might have originally been sold in 1959 (prototype dates to 1957), but that year saw only 8,000 cars bought; sales were much greater during the 1960s decade.

[MinorityRepublican]

This is why the '70s were bad.

[ansel12]

The 60s ran from about 1963 -1973, the 70s seemed bland and the left was taking a wrecking ball to America.

Reagan had been on steady march to the presidency since at least 1964.

Reagan became California Governor in 1967 ran for presidential nomination in 1968, California Governor again in 1970, just barely missed the GOP nomination after midnite in 1976, and took the presidency in 1980, the 1984 election was the first that all the boomers were old enough to vote for president.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Because they upped the amount you had to pay into SS from three to twelve and a half percent?

Because interest rates were 20%?

Because we had gas lines, price controls and a Hate America First President?

[Responsibility2nd]

Why was it a bad decade? I blame these people. And the clothes they wore.

 

[MinorityRepublican]

the left was taking a wrecking ball to America.

No difference from the '20s, starting with George Floyd riots.

[Bonemaker]

Mini skirts were in early 60's. I know, I was there!😎

Flying used to be fun too!

[ansel12]

Just as the left’s replacement immigration started in the 1840s,

[bigbob]

Jimmah Cawtuh, gas lines, disco, and shag carpeting.

[blackdog]

Wasn’t a better decade to grow up in. Really.

[cotton1706]

The song You Light Up My Life. There’s one reason.

[Karliner]

One of my fav old pics I took of The Pacific Mall, Santa Cruz, 1972. Hare Krishnas

[dfwgator]

It all started with that damn Tiki in Hawaii.

[hardspunned]

Getting drafted and killed kinda sucked.

[Bonemaker]

Nixon gave us EPA, OSHA, and banned DDT among outrages.

[buwaya]

In the 70s the previous two decades of rapid growth of real median income came to a halt due to inflation. Social mobility nearly stopped. Unemployment reached postwar highs.

Underneath everything, its all economics.