What initiated the rise of the hippies? Can any similarities be drawn to the rise of the modern social justice movements?

Hi OP,

I’m not sure if you mean hippies specifically, or the more general ‘counterculture’ youth movement that began during the 1960s. Either way, there are a few fundamental points to consider. First, the youth of the 1960s demonstrated distinct social, cultural and economic differences from previous generations. They were a generation who were better educated, wealthier and had more free time than their parents – college and university intakes rose significantly during this period. This meant that the youth literally had the ability to become concerned with social issues and to rethink and rebel against the previous generations traditions. Their experience of war was also limited – i.e. they had not lived through a World War. The idealism of peace and a less censored, more free world seemed completely possible to (some segments of) this generation. This helps to explain why at the core of the youth movement was a sense of injustice and outrage at the Vietnam War and President Nixon's policies. Music, fashion and protest (both peaceful and violent) became the primary ways that youth counterculture expressed their ideals. Somewhat ironically, the economic buying power of this generation helped to create the massive music and fashion market aimed almost exclusively at youth, inevitably contributing to the hippy and counterculture movement becoming mainstream and manufactured.

Broadly, the revolution of the 1960s demonstrates both a change of attitudes and a push for attitudes to change. Crucially, it was not a cohesive or organised ‘movement’ and there were many differing opinions and actions. We mainly remember the 1960s counterculture movements through USA examples, although the ideas and ideals of the 1960s were felt all over the world - look up the ‘Prague Spring’ for a non-USA examples during the 1960s.

Hippies specifically tend to be associated with ‘passive’ counterculture, non-violence etc. This separates them from more ‘active’ participants in counterculture. Hippies emphasised a casual style of living and indifference to social norms and customs and one of the core elements was promoting religious and cultural diversity - particularly ones associated with sexuality and drugs. However, hippy ideals overlapped with other, more active, members of the counterculture.

The whole thing petered out after the end of the Vietnam War, and the remainder of the 1970s and 1980s had much darker and less idealistic youth movements (contributed to by recession and the rise of conservatism in politics etc.) However, the 1960s movement had some significant long term consequences. • Individualism. Arguably (and somewhat ironically) fed into ethos of capitalism. • Even though counterculture and Movement petered out (often after end Vietnam in 1975), one long-term consequence was legitimacy or even right to challenge authority. • Also, important aspects of social history, such as: • Decriminalisation of homosexuality • Decline of censorship proceeded directly from counterculture movements of 1960s. • Civil rights for African- Americans. • Women’s liberation – second-wave feminism.