chapter 3 Flashcards
society
what is an area of infrastructure that needed development in the post war consensus?
-housing development which had been neglected in past decade
give examples of new towns built to help growing population and lack of housing
-harlow in essex
-kirkby in merseyside
what were good economic indicators in the early 1950s?
-growing ownership of private cars
-mens wages increasing (£8 in 1951 -> £15 in 1961)
-food rationing ended in 1954
-cheap mortgages
what is the most notable indicator of the new affluence?
-consumer goods ownership
-1957 -> 1959, tv households rose by 32%
by 1960 there are 10 mil tv sets in use
what are examples of consumer goods and what is the system they were bought on?
tvs, washing machines, fridges etc.
-hire purchase: monthly instalments/renting
what was a positive impact of the rise of consumer goods?
leisure activites become more popular
-DIY & gardening. tv shows help provide info & tips for these things
give statistics for car ownership during this time
rose by 25% between 57 and 59
between 1957 and 1963, 1200 miles of new main roads were completed
what is a knock on effect of the increase of car ownership?
-increased demand for in country holiday & leisure areas
-Butlins had 60,000 people holidaying a week
-car ownership means people can live in suburbs further from city centres
what was a huge social division during this period?
class division
65% of working class voted labour in 1951 and 80% of middle class voted tory
the establishment was a high class network of old money families involved in politics & any high paying professions
what major political event brought a loss of deference and breaking down of social restrictions?
-suez crisis 1956
exposes blatant lying and gov. manipulation
-rise of CND 1958
-encourages challenging authority
what was a major scandal in 1963 that increased the public to feel negative toward the government?
the profumo affair
defence secretary John Profumo was caught to be sleeping with Christine Keeler
keeler was also sleeping with a soviet spy ivanov so this raised security questions of cold war info
what were other pop-culture events which heightened lack of gov support?
-satire boom in 1960s. eg. 1961 private eye
critiques gov figures and the establishment.. similar to nepo baby exposure today
what was the argument against the establishment being in high positions?
need leaders who had earned positions from personal merit and understood the modern age they were living in
the class-ridden society had a lack of social mobility
what was a group of literates in the 1950s with these views?
‘angry young men’ used arts to attack behaviour & attitudes of the ruling elites
what was the position of women in the early 1950s?
housewifery. ideal woman was wife and mother
average marriage age was 21 and 75% of women were married
only 1 in 5 women worked in 1951
how did families afford to have women that did not work?
-family allowance. paid to women to ensure they didnt need to work and full employment for men could remain
what was the social belief toward women that worked?
-damaging to children
-trade unions didnt support working women as it was believed it would lower wages
what was a positive impact of the consumer goods boom for housewives?
-easier lives, as not working in jobs did not equate to no work. constant chores and looking after the needs of the family.
washing machine and fridge ownership increased. means less time to hand wash all clothes and daily food shopping is not needed
what was the main cause of social tensions and hatred during this era?
racial violence and attitudes against immigration
windrush generation from caribbean on 1948 encouraged further immigration from new commonwealth, but numbers outside of cities were still very small
how many commonwealth immigrants were in britain by 1958?
210,000
population was 52 million
-numbers from india and pakistan beginning to rise
what were the reasons of a rise in immigration toward britain?
-male workers wanting to provide for family in the caribbean
-london had many oppurtunities
-originally was encouraged by british gov as it was economically desirable
where did british immigrants tend to go in the 1950s?
australia offered assistance with jobs, housing etc
steady flow toward north america
what was the balance of inward and outward immigration by the 1960s?
inward: 1.25million
outward: 1.92million
what were examples of tension toward non-white communities in the 1950s?
1958 notting hill riots
poor area with low QOL. increase of immigrant population meant tensions with job and housing acquisition and so white youths would violently target minorities in the area
who was oswald mosley and what was his effect on the growing racial tensions?
-encouraged it. leader of New party which became British Union of Fascists/ Union movement
-encouraged riots and racial hatred
what was the 1962 commonwealth immigrants act?
restrictions of immigration. only those with work permits could immigrate
why did youth culture emerge in the 1950s?
youths had more time. boys no longer had to to national service after 1960, and labour saving devices meant girls didnt have to help with chores as much
baby boom meant increase in teenagers
teenagers having jobs meant having spending money
how did teenagers having jobs increase youth culture
money to spend on fashion and music meant sub cultures could emerge
magazines and tv channels aimed at teenagers increased in quantity
what were the three famous teenager subcultures?
teddy boys
mods
rockers
what features defined teddy boys?
edwardian fashion/suits
racial violence and general rioting
created rising deliquency and crime
what were the rockers inspired by?
rock music increase from america eg elvis presley
what were the mods inspired & defined by?
‘sophisticated’ pop music
heavily modified mopeds
how did the mods and rockers create concerning rises in violence?
clashes and rivalry between the subgenres
in brighton 1964 there was a two-day fighting/rioting
bit exaggerated by media as there was no knife violence
what were examples of changing social attitudes in literature?
clockwork orange 1962
sapphire 1959
increased depictions of violence, sex and references to homosexuality
how were the changing societal depictions recieved?
described as immoral and depraved. critiqued by social moral activist mary whitehouse
criticism from left wing and desire to keep britain as socially conservative
