1960s Permissive Society Flashcards
1
Q
Sexual Liberation (Free Love)
A
- Permissive ideas began to spread through media, ‘teen’ magazines, growing number of uncensored novels
- Previous ‘taboo’ subjects now discussed on TV and radio
- Availability of the pill and rise of ‘free love’
- Liberal reforms regarding abortion/divorce seemed to undermine family traditional 1950s values
2
Q
1960s Drug Culture
A
- First half of 1960s, cocaine/heroin addiction became 10x more prevalent
- Use of soft drugs became more common
- ‘Free love’, ‘flower power’ promoted drug culture
3
Q
The Lady Chatterly Trial
A
- Penguin Books celebrated 25th anniversary by publishing 200,000 copies of the uncensored version
- 1959: criminal offence to publish ‘obscene’ literature
- Crown decided to prosecute Penguin Books and block further publication of the book
- Penguin won the case in 1961
4
Q
End of Theatrical Censorship
A
- New styles of plays tended to clash with Lord Chamberlain’s Office
- His office could demand for inappropriate material to be removed or prosecution to take place if plays didn’t gain approval from the office
- George Strauss, backbench, introduced a bill to ban censorship (1967)
- Passed into law in 1968
- Permitted nudity on stage
5
Q
Permissive Films & TV Shows
A
- 1960s films grew more daring, e.g. Alfie (1966)
- By the end of the decade, screen violence and sex had become more acceptable and more explicit
- Films remained subject to strict categorisation by the British Board of Film Creators
- Issues of sex, violence, politics and religion in TV were tackled
- E.g. Coronation Street portrayed failed marriages and illicit affairs, shocking the public
- Led to moral backlash by many, including Mary Whitehouse
6
Q
Opposition to the Permissive Society
A
- Decline in conventional moral standards
- Catholics were hostile towards the contraceptive pill as it was seen as sinful towards God
- The extent to which permissiveness influenced behaviour was slightly exaggerated as many young single people were still virgin
- Mary Whitehouse was a moral campaigner, concerned about liberal reforms, but failed to have any impact on the programmes shown
