Changes In Moral Attitudes + Permissive Society

Question 1

What was permissive society?

Answer 1

-time of sexual liberation, changes in public + private morals + new openness
-some saw it as decline in conventional morals + was encouraged by contraception, mass media + lib legislation

Question 2

How did permissive ideas spread in the media?

Answer 2

-teen magazines + uncensored novels
-previously taboo topics now discussed in books, on radio + on TV
-by end 60s STI rising esp making young gen

Question 3

Who was Mary Whitehouse?

Answer 3

-moral campaigner + concerned by changes
-Birmingham housewife 1963 + began own ‘moral crusade’ against ‘tide of immorality + indecency’
-particularly directed at director general BBC Hugh Greene

Question 4

What did Mary Whitehouse do?

Answer 4

-lauded ‘clean up tv’ campaign 1964
-1965 founded national viewers + listeners association which had over 100,000 members -failed have any impact on programmes shown

Question 5

What was the spread of drug culture?

Answer 5

-cocaine + heroine addiction 10x more prevalent first half 60s
-use of soft drugs commonplace by end 60s
-hippy lifestyle with emph free love + flower power promoted drug culture

Question 6

What was the act passed in 1967 regarding drug culture?

Answer 6

-dangerous drugs act 1967
-unlawful possess drugs cannabis + cocaine
-wootton report 1968 suggested legalising cannabis but rejected by home sec Callaghan
-1970 max sentence supplying drugs 14 years

Question 7

What surveys were conducted to counter extent of permissiveness?

Answer 7

-survey by Michael Schofield on sexual behaviour young people 1965
-Geoffrey Gorer on sex and marriage in England today 1969
-found most young virgins on marriage or married first sexual partner