h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Around the time that my father was born... Our nation was one of the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt... We had the largest middle class in the world... Dad's worked and mums stayed home to raise the kids.

What the hell happened?????

The advent of credit, and the 'I want' society. People don't need to save up for things nowadays, it's all too easily obtainable. Through being completely reckless, my credit rating is lower than an ant's dangly bits, but I still get offered store credit, credit cards, mortgages etc.

We, as a nation, have little or no contribution to make to the world in any way, no manufacturing, no real national output. There is little pride in being British as the term has no real meaning any more. Sad, but true.

You have a point about 'getting' credit before you have earned it.
The trouble is that governments are also living on credit. Handing out monetary aid way beyond their ability to pay.
The bills have eventually to be paid.
As a nation we are fast losing our ability to create wealth.
What is more the 'services' that we can be provide are fast becoming within the capabilities of the developing countries to provide for themselves. We have an unsaleable service with diminishing assets.
Money is being handle in a way that makes money but the same old problem remains. Money is worthless unless it is distributed in a way that makes the world go round. Money is of no use if there is nothing to buy or sell, it needs to be seen as a means to an end and not as an end in itself.
The financial world is bankrupt and will remain so until the accounts are settled and the books are in balance.

But I don't buy into the whole 'mums should be at home' thing. It may have made the men happier but the women? I'm not so sure. (and being sort of in the role of 1950s man - main breadwinner in a job I don't particularly love) I can imagine that a lot of men felt trapped and obliged just to carry on with a stiff upper lip.

(that's not to say that I think that mountains of debt and people working just to pay the childminder is necessarily better)

Not to say mums should stay and why should that make men happier ? It was just the way it was.
Men and women got married, had children and honored their obligations.