Post-War Urbanization and Consumerism

After World War II, urbanization was rapid and living standards improved. Technological development and increased productivity provided people with unprecedented amounts of free time. Society entered a new era of abundance: people now had the means to purchase things that were not necessary but were fun to own.

This display case contains items found in the homes of Loimaa residents at the end of the 1970s. Electric appliances had replaced manual labor-driven household devices, and various factory-made goods and entertainment devices became the norm.

Caption: Neon store signs from a Loimaa shop, 1972.
Photo: Loimaa-Seura Collection.