The era in which early humans made tools is called the Paleolithic Era.
One way that a few firms can gain some control over their market is by secretly cooperating with one another to agree on certain things that wouldn't be obvious to the normal eye.
Perhaps the greatest way in which these two time periods were similar is in terms of intolerant attitudes. Both we periods of great discrimination against minorities and women. The 1950s saw far more of a literary revival than the 20s.