1
Q
Why was social class such a central aspect of life in 1917 and what were the 4 social classes?
A
- Large influence on status and place in society
- Industrial WC
- Lower MC
- MC
- UC
2
Q
Industrial WC
A
- Work: manual labourers / skilled craftsmen (factories, mines, docks, railways)
- Lived in mostly tight-knit communities
- Skilled/ artisan WC: specialised skills therefore earnt more + often identified/ paired join MC
3
Q
UC
A
- Inherited wealth, land, titles
- Often reped HoL
- Natural CP supporters
- Most senior officers fought in WW1 + ministers (25/29) in wartime cabinets
4
Q
Lower MC
A
- Work in semi-skilled jobs
- Small business owners tended own homes
5
Q
MC
A
- Professionals (doctors, lawyers, bankers, civil servants)
- Did highly specialised tasks
6
Q
What was the general consensus for treatment of social classes and its challenges?
A
- higher classes (positions of power) = deference
- If in power: respected and trusted to lead country’s institutions
- Before WW1 some (suffragette campaign, trade union militancy) but experience of WWs led to greater change
7
Q
3 greatest impacts of WW1 on social class (still determined status)
A
- Decline in deference
- Decline in UC
- Greater equality
8
Q
Decline in deference - death tolls, war experience
A
- High death toll (704,803 men killed) shook WC confidence in UC generals
- Life in trenches = greater interaction between WC and MC men (shared dangers and few comforts)
- Decline of deference continued, especially after WW2
9
Q
Decline in UCs - death duties
A
- Death toll among UC disproportionately high
- 1914 alone: 6 peers, 16 baronets, 6 knights, 261 aristocratic sons died
- Families forced pay death duties (introduced 1894) forced elder sons sell land/ stately homes to pay
- Before 1914: <10% of those working land owned it
- 1930: 33%
- Many aristocrats unable maintain grand homes therefore sold to national trust/ schools/ hotels
- Others: disrepair as owners could not afford living
- STILL: Duke of Portland owned 8 grand houses in 1914 but retained 4 by 1939
10
Q
Greater equality
A
- more democratic society: 1918 Rep of people act
- Work to improve LS in interwar years and prices in GD years fell faster than wages
- THEREFORE: many felt more equal with surplus of income and aspire to more affluent lifestyle
11
Q
What were the results of the changes?
A
- Despite commentators fearing an open class revolt
- NOT lead to social barriers and conventions breaking down
12
Q
Why did the British gov fear open revolt in some parts of the country?
A
- Areas eg: Clydeside
- Result of: LT economic factors, WC attitudes change to social groups
13
Q
What did the Times release in 1926?
A
- A newspaper that tended represent views and concerns of MC
- Attacked strikers calling them ‘unpatriotic class warriors’
- MC volunteers believed organise break strike as national interest
14
Q
How often was class conflict
A
- Rare as mid/ late 20s strikes in decline
- CP enjoyed widespread WC + MC support
- IMPLYING far less class conflict
15
Q
What was the impact of GD on WC?
A
- Experience undermined WC solidarity NOT revolution
- Union membership declined due to unemployment
- Mixture in jobs: decline in South Wales and NE but growth in affluence in midlands and SE
- Unions of affluent areas unlikely to strike in solidarity with poorer unemployed workers
16
Q
OVERALL CHANGE: 1914 - 39
A
not much - following era that saw more change
17
Q
Impact of WW2 on class - positive
A
- Mass organisation (social research organisation) often reported during war the WC expressed desire for more equal Britain after war but unsure of how
- Some thought could make Britain a classless society
- Some argue social revolution took place as evacuation, rationing cause co-operation between all classes therefore class barriers diminished
18
Q
Impact of WW2 on class - negative
A
- Mass Observation studies - little social change with class distinctions still remaining
- Wartime evacuations of WC inner-city children to more affluent rural homes reinforced class prejudices
- Child psychologists Susan Isaacs + Anna Freud both reported widespread phenomenon of bed wetting blamed by host families on poor standards of inner-city WC families
19
Q
What were Post-war attitudes towards class like?
A
- Both parties campaigned in 1945 election for greater state intervention
- Labour gov committed to nationalisation and a welfare state dramatically changed role of state
- Still, social class ideas did not drastically shift
20
Q
What were the attitudes towards Britain’s class system
A
- British class system, privilege + deference still intact
- Some Labour ministers believed institutions eg: HoL and elite public schools (Eton + Harrow)
- Attlee gov not elected for radical policies
- Labour landslide victory: recognition of GD hardships NOT revolt against class system
21
Q
What was the period of 50s and 60s characterised by?
A
Increase in:
- Affluence
- leisure time
- consumer choice
- LS + spending power
Change in:
- Attitudes to CS
- Deference + authority
22
Q
What aspects of life came into question?
A
- Class + propriety & morality
- Sexuality, marriage, abortion, homosexuality
23
Q
What was the mix of opinions on the period?
A
- Prosperity + liberalism: reform of laws that restricted private life
- Anxieties on pace of social change & materialism + consumerism growth
24
Q
What actions were enabled to benefit WC households in 1954 (and what were they)?
A
- End to rationing + relaxation of consumer credits
- New level of prosperity unthinkable to WC earlier on
25
What did these changes result in?
- Trad ideas on community, SC, social mobility increasingly challenged
- Questioned CS not from poverty BUT from place of prosperity - with comforts of consumer capitalism
- Writers + filmmakers: questioned CS and tabloid newspapers exposed scandals
26
What was the satire boom of the late 50s and 60s?
- TV + cinema exposed audience to satirical entertainment - ridiculed ideas of SC
27
What was the notable stage show that played into the satire boom?
- Beyond The Fringe - starred Peter Cook + Alan Bennett
- Packed audiences + fierce controversy as made fun of Britain's establishment (gov, army, UC)
- 'The Aftermath of the War': scorned Britain's war effort (yet recent memory + proud victory)
28
What did the success of Beyond the Fringe lead to?
- Satirical TV show 'That was the week that was'
- satirical humour + interviews of leading politicians
- first time British public seen elite political figures on TV rigorously questioned by journalists
- CLEAR change in public attitudes to authority
29
What was the British New Wave?
- Generation of writer & filmmaker that articulated changing attitudes to CS in late 50s & 60s
- novels of WC men and women coming to terms with end of old WC world and new prosperous era
- 1958: Alan Sillitoe novel Saturday Night Sunday Morning (film in 1960) - angry WC man who is desperate to escape his background but enjoys new consumerism
- Popularity = respect for authority + older gen in decline
30
What was the start of the sex scandals of the 60s?
- Early 1963: rumours of sex parties regularly held at Cliveden (stately home of wealthy Astor family) with important establishment figures
- Private eye (satirical magazine): important in reporting but other outlets latched onto it
- ESPECIALLY when alleged that John Profumo (minister of war) shared a 19 year old sexual partner with Soviet attache Yevgeny Ivanov
- no evidence that Profumo divulged any state secrets / Ivanov slept for Keeler, potential for blackmail
31
What were reactions to scandals before the Profumo scandal vs after?
- Sexual indiscretions of politicians, royal family, other establishment figures routinely ignored by Britain's powerful press barons
- 1963 profumo scandal featured on front pages of the mirror, daily mail, etc...
32
What were the reactions to the profumo scandal?
- People shocked by revelations of sexual activity
- Especially after profumo at first vehemently denied such behaviour then later admitted
- March 1963: Profumo resigned and some believe contributed to defeat of gov in 1964 general election
33
Why was the profumo scandal significant to the decline of deference?
- People shocked that not only were establishment members indulged in seedy practices but routinely lied until caught out
- Marked a watershed when people realised leaders not necessarily paragons of virtue and didn't deserve trust purely based on position
34
50s attitudes towards sex
- State role in regulating private sexual behaviour ESPECIALLY homosexuality widely accepted
- 1949: < 1/10 received any kind of sex ed + little evidence that parents discussed topic with kids
- Popular view from foreign observer: British sexually repressed but unlikely
35
What do the stats show about attitudes to sex in Britain in the 50s?
1. Cases of venereal disease in Britain high until penicillin + flourishing prostitution business in WW2
2. 1950s survey: 1/5 women born between 1894-1904 had pre-marital sex + 1/2 all women born 1924-34 had sex before marriage
3. 1930s onwards: growing demand for advice books about sex (Love without fear sold 3Mn copies by 1964)
36
What do the stats + popular opinions mean about perspectives on sex in the 50s?
- Big difference in what said about sex vs did in Britain
- Could argue Britain did not experience sexual revolution but attitudes slowly changing in century
- Revolution in openness / explicitness about discussion of sex
37
What does evidence suggest about the 60s?
- Popular image of sexual exploration misleading
- Michale Schofield's the sexual behaviour of young people (1965) based on 2,000 teenager interviews uncovered:
1. 1/3 boys + 1/6 girls aged 16-9 had sex
2. nearly all in established in relationships and not promiscuous
- Geoffrey Gorer's study 1970 had similar conclusions that attitudes to pre-marital sex, homosexuality, infidelity and contraception similar to 50s
38
Swinging 60s
- Popular myth: new freedoms of behaviour, dress, attitudes in 60s especially in relation to sexual behaviour
- Atmosphere of lively music, dance, provocative clothing exemplified by London's trendy boutiques (eg: Biba)
- Exciting nightlife, ready availability of narcotics (eg: LSD) and celebration of youth
- Many conservatives reacted strongly to the 'lack of morality' and created feeling of a generation gap
39
Despite the little change in attitudes what did change in terms of sex?
- Openness: especially in news
- British newspaper industry crucial in dissemination of sexual ideas
- During time of mass consumerism advertisers paid to place adverts in tabloid press as knew would reach wider audience
- Tabloid sex scandals + discussion of sex in news articles + features caught large readership & associated sex with celebrity + consumerism
- EG: many adverts featured sexual allure as sales technique to sell products
40
Lady Chatterley Trial
-DH Lawrence's book in 1960: story of aristocratic woman who had affair with WC groundsmen
-Prosecuted publisher under Obscene publications act 1959 (introduced to relax censorship as jury considered 'literary merit')
- jury decided sufficient merit and publicity = soar in sales (demonstrating laws around obscenity outdated + changing attitudes to sex & morality)
- Magazines began contain 'obscene' material + end of book censorship = growth in pornography industry
- Areas of cities eg Soho, London synonymous with shops selling porn (still illegal but ambiguous wording therefore difficult prosecute)
41
What were the results of scandals and more openness about sex?
- Polarised British opinion on sex
- Alarmed about rise of 'permissive' attitudes
- Embraced new openness
41
Sexuality and the state
- 1957: pressure from church groups + moral campaigners = wolfenden report
- Decline in morality since war = weakened family life (law against prostitution should harsher)
- BUT homosexual activity between consenting adults >21 in private should be decriminalised
- Prostitution public display of immorality but male homosexuality hidden therefore no right to regulate private life
41
What was the experience of most during the sexual revolution?
- Something featured in newspapers but not experienced personally
- End of 60s: most attitudes to sexuality and lifestyles conservative
- Sensational reports of celeb scandals gave readers misleading picture of nation's attitudes
42
Sexual offences act, 1967 history
1958: Homosexual law reform society (HLRS) founded
- Active in campaigning for change + lobbying gov to implement wolfenden recommendations
- 1960-66: various attempts to introduce sexual offences bill
- 1967 private member's bill passed by narrow majority and was given parliamentary time despite Roy Jenkin's conservative opinions
- Jenkins also allowed 1967 abrotion act legalising abortion up to 28 weeks
42
What were alternative portrayals of sexual liberalisation?
- Moors murders 1966: myra Hindley and Ian Brady convicted of killing 3 children
- Press focussed on fact two unmarried but in sexual relationship to create connection to violent crimes
- Fact that relationship status had no bearing on actions overlooked by readers who in shock of crimes and alarmed by rapid decline of 'moral' standards
42
What were opinions about the sexual offences and abortion acts?
- Neither particularly popular: despite new affluence some attitudes to private life unchanged
- Of those interviewed by Schofield and later Gorer: 85% disapproved of homosexuality and 1/2 believe should be punished more severely
43
What were articles circulated during the 60s?
- Sensational stories of UC sexual behaviour
- British teenager behaviour: linked in tabloid sties to teenage crime, vandalism, hooliganism
- Fueled moral panic of state of British youth
43
Who was Mary Whitehouse and what did she believe
- 1964: school teacher with devout Christian values launched campaign group Clean Up TV
- Believed TV was most corrupting medium in modern life + introducing unchristian ideas to British youth
44
What happened to Clean Up TV
- Rapid popularity = many agreed
- 1st meeting: >70 coaches of campaigners filled Birmingham town hall and most of criticism towards BBC
- Condemned scenes of sexual nature on TV but images of drinking, criticising royal family, refs to crime + lawlessness
- Views often more extreme than supporters (believed TV + consumerism eroding faith in god and tasked to bring country to og christian roots)
45
NVALA
- 1965: co-founded by Whitehouse (national viewers and listeners association)
- Attracted general public campaigns, senior church of England bishops, chief police officers, MPs
- opposed to sex, violence, swearing and thought permissive = creeping 'socialism' in Britain
- condemned marxist, humanist ideas and believed christianity under threat
45
What was the impact of NVALA
- Limited
- Whitehouse may have exaggerated membership from outset
- media never took it seriously despite publicity gained
- minimal influence on TV + radio programming
46
What was general opinion to NVALA
- ideas dismissed by most as absurd but claimed attracted > 100,000 members after formation
- demonstrating widespread fears about moral decline
- made mostly of people outside London (midland, NW, Yorkshire, NE, Scotland, Wales)
- looked at London with disgust (associated with swinging 60s, promiscuity, pronography)
47
what were the success of NVALA
- influenced legislation banning child porn (1978 Protection of children act)
- Specific success: got movie deep throat banned in Britain + initiated successful blasphemy trial against gay news for perceived heretical poem about christ
48
Festival of light
- Organisation founded by journalist Malcom Muggeridege with Whitehouse
- Aimed to: prevent sexualisation of TV + promote Christian teachings
- Nationwide events organised eg lighting of beacons on hilltops which >100,000 attended
- little to change TV programme content / public attitudes as overtly evangelical approach alienated many
49
Who were the key figures of the opposition to a lib society?
- Lord Longford: Devout catholic
- Mary Whitehouse
- Malcom Muggeridge: journalist who underwent religious conversion
50
Malcolm Muggeridge
- Infamous as drinker and womaniser for most of adult life
- 60s: went under religious conversion
- Critical of 60s new affluence and materialism
- 1968: argued that Britain suffer fate of roman empire and collapse because of decadence and immortality
51
Lord Langford
- Devout Catholic: funded own report into pornography and visited Copenhagen sex industry to investigate the effects of an end to censorship
- 72: concluded that Obscene Publications Act 1959 made it easy for pornography to be published + called for new censorship against materials that breach modern standards of decency
History - Britain
flashcards
Decks in class (14)
# Cards
-
1.1 - Politics35
-
1.2 - Economics0
-
1.3 - Trade Unions44
-
2.1 - Provision of social welfare71
-
2.2 - Public health85
-
2.3 - Education75
-
3.1 - Class57
-
3.2 - Women73
-
3.3 - Race43
-
4.1 - Living standards60
-
4.2 - pop culture and entertainment46
-
4.3 - Leisure and travel65
-
Thatcher 1 - Economics66
-
Thatcher 2 - Public sector and State intervention4
