How Yuppies Changed America
Dylan Gottlieb's book explores the impact of yuppies on American society and the financial sector. It highlights the shift in career preferences among Harvard MBAs and the rise of corporate lawyers in New York during the 1980s. The book argues that the yuppie phenomenon represents a significant social and moral transformation that continues to influence America today.
- ▪Yuppies are defined as individuals aged twenty-five to thirty-nine living in cities and earning over $40,000 per year in professional jobs.
- ▪The financial sector's contribution to GDP increased from 4.8 percent in 1980 to 5.9 percent in 1990.
- ▪The number of corporate lawyers in New York doubled between 1978 and 1986, reflecting a shift in career aspirations.
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How Yuppies Changed America Helen Andrews May 29, 2026 Share Share via X Share via Facebook Share via email Copy link May 29, 2026 Share Share via X Share via Facebook Share via email Copy link Yuppies: The Bankers, Lawyers, Joggers, and Gourmands Who Conquered New YorkBy Dylan GottliebHarvard University Press, 352 pagesDylan Gottlieb, professor of history at Bentley University, describes Yuppies as “the first social history of financialization.” It lives up to the billing. The book is more than a nostalgia tour through the years of Perrier and disco. It chronicles a social and a moral revolution from which America is still struggling to emerge.The financial sector went from 4.8 percent of GDP in 1980 to 5.9 percent in 1990. Behind those numbers was a social earthquake.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Compact Magazine.
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