3.1 SPORT AND SOCIETY: Social and cultural influences on the develpoment of rational recreation Flashcards
Urbanisation:
Large numbers of people migrating/moving from rural areas into towns and cities, seeking regular work in the factories.
Key features of urbanisation that contributed to the development of sport:
- Lack of space: in cities space was at s premium which lead to purpose built facilities.
- Large working-class population: needed entertaining, resulting in mass spectator numbers.
- Loss of traditional sports: mob games banned in a civilised urban society, so new sports needed to emerge.
- Change in working class conditions: working-class didn’t work as long so had more free time, income and energy to participate in sport.
The Transport Revolution:
Development of railways meant contribution on sport increased because:
- movement of teams/spectators: railway meant faster and further travel
- improved access to different parts of the country: nationwide train travel meant sport could develop from local to regional to national, forming leagues.
- cheaper train travel: more affordable travel mean working class could also support their teams home and away.
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Communications:
Better working class education lead to improvement in their reading and writing abilities. Communications (newspapers) improved as society became more literate, meant more awareness of sport - when fixtures were asking place, increased knowledge of results. This lead to the emergence of sporting role models.
The influence of the Church:
Church halls provided facilities as well as encouraging civilised behaviour. The shift in behaviour from popular recreations to rational recreations, no more drinking and gambling. This increased attendance at church ceremonies and holy days. The church even organised some sports teams, set up clubs and competitions.
Muscular Christianity:
Used in sport, especially association football, to get more people to the church.
- the church provides facilities and equipment
- created teams
- Sunday school got more involved, getting more young people to take part in sport.
- YMCA: clubs developed through the church
The emergence of the middle class in a three-tier society:
Many of the middle-class were self-made individuals who had some empathy and concern for the working class, they improved the lives of the working-class by improving sporting provisions. They did this by:
- Codification
- Competitions
- Public Provisions
- Increased Leisure Time
- Move to ‘Professionalism’
Codification:
The development of strict rules as public school and university old boys played a key role in the formation of many national governing bodies (NGB’s) of sport. The middle class took leadership roles in such organisations to control sport.
Competition:
The development of leagues and competitions via middle class involvement in public schools/universities/clubs/NGB’s/ factory teams / church teams.
Increase Leisure Time:
Workers were often given more time of by the middle class to participate in sport.
Public Provisions:
The development of facilities through middle class philanthropists (generous middle class individuals trying to better the lives of the working class.)
Move to professionalism:
The middle class helped thee development of early commercial/ professional sport - acting as agents, promoters, factory owners setting up teams.
Public provisions influence on the development and spread of rational recreation:
development of baths…
Philanthropist:
Kind, generous, middle-class, individuals who had a social conscience and were keen to try to provide for a better life among the working-class.
Public Provisions:
Local council provision of facilities e.g. sport (recreational) for masses to participate.
