Class

Question 1

Define deference

Answer 1

Polite submission and respect (knowing your place)

Question 2

Describe the change in the working-class post WWI

Answer 2

• WWI caused a decline in deference - high death toll of working-class men in war - during war, there were more interactions between working and middle classes
• War created a more democratic and equal society - 1918 Representation of the People Act
• Conservative Party had both working and middle class voters
• Great Depression served as working-class solidarity, however Union Membership in Wales rapidly declined
• Cost of living improved for the working clas

Question 3

Describe the change in the working class during WWII

Answer 3

• Evacuation and rationing made all social classes co-operate and interact
• Some say that WWII didn’t reduce the class divide - wartime evacuation of working class children often reinforced class prejudices - 1939 - widespread phenomenon of bed wetting (sign of emotional stress) was being blamed by host families on the poor standards of city working class families

Question 4

Describe the change in the middle class

Answer 4

• Declined deference during WWI - more interactions between the working and middle classes
• 1926 May General Strike - Many middle class people volunteered to stop the strike - showing their views towards the situation and their disapproval; of the actions of the strikers (working-clas)

Question 5

Describe the change in the upper classes

Answer 5

• WWI - high death toll of upper-class people
• This meant death duties had to be paid by their families for the property owned
• Many people had to sell their land to pay for these - many aristocrats couldn’t afford to maintain their grand homes, thus some were sold to the National Trust

Question 6

Summarise the changes in class of all classes

Answer 6

• WWI managed to reduce class divide and deference and led to the 1918 Representation of the People Acts
• More equal
• WWII led to the idea of a more equal Britain, due to evacuation and rationing
• WWII also however led to working class children being blamed for being emotionally stressed due to the poor conditions of the city working-class life