class and social values

Question 1

how important was class during the twentieth centrury?

Answer 1

very important and social class largely determined a persons status and place in society.

Question 2

what was the impact of WW1 on class?

Answer 2

• decline in deference = the high death toll shook the confidence of the working classes in the upper class generals who led them, also interaction between working and upperclass men in the trenches reduced division.
• greater equality = more democratic society (passing of the representation of the people act) , more chance of social mobility.
• decline in the Upper class = amongst britain’s upper classes the death toll was disproportiately high and death duties ( taxation on death ) introduced in 1894 mean’t that there was a decline in aristocracy.

Question 3

how far did attitudes towards class change between 1918-1939?

Answer 3

• 1919 some areas of the country feared a class revolt such as Clydeside
• 1926 general strike
• the time attacked the working class for being unpatriotic class warriors
  these examples of class conflict however where rare suggesting little change.

Question 4

impact of WW2 on class?

Answer 4

• desire for a more equal Britain
• both parties after 1945 campaigning for greater state intervention (suggesting gov attitudes have changed)
• welfare state changed peoples lives
• britains class system still remained during this period.

Question 5

how far did deference decline during 1951-1979?

Answer 5

• end to rationing & relaxation of consumer credit led to increased prosperity for the working class.
• enabled social mobility
• media ridiculed ideas of social class

Question 6

what was the satire boom?

Answer 6

one the clearest examples of deference and refers to the saterical writers and producers:
in 1960 the popular stage show “ beyone the fringe” it made fun of the government, army and Britain’s upperclasses

Question 7

what was the British new wave?

Answer 7

• generation of new film makers changing attitudes of the class system in a movement known as the “British new wave”.

Question 8

what sex scandals emerged during the 60’s?

Answer 8

1963 rummors of sex parties help at Cliveden a stately home owned by the wealthy Astor family - it was alleged that John Profumo was sharing a 19 year old sexual partner with a soviet attache Yevengy Ivanov.

Question 9

attitudes towards sex in the 1950’s?

Answer 9

during the 50’s the view that the state played a role in regulating private sexual behaviour such as homosexuality was widely accepted.

• 1949 = less than 1 tenth of the population recieved sex ed
• cases of venereal disease was high in UK
• prositution flourished post WW2
• surveys show that 1/2 of all women had sex before marriage between 1924-1934

Question 10

attitudes towards sex during the 60’s?

Answer 10

1 in three boys and 1 in 6 girls between 16 and 19 had had sex in 1965

Question 11

how did the media play a role in normalising the discusiion of sex?

Answer 11

• advertisements would pay more to be in press or papers due to tabloid coverage of sex scandals
• they would use sex as a technique to sell products.

Question 12

what was the Wolfenden report?

Answer 12

1957 this was published due to pressure from church groups - and suggested that there was a decline in morality and family values post WW2.
Lord Wofenden believed that:
- the law on prostitution should be made harsher
- but homosexual activity between consenting adults over 21 in private should be decriminalised
- he thought the state should police public sexual activity but not private.

Question 13

what was the sexual offences act?

Answer 13

1967

- legalised abortion up to 28 weeks

Question 14

who was Mary Whitehouse?

Answer 14

1964 - school teacher who had devout christian values launched a campaign group callled “clean up TV”. she beleived that TV was the most corrupting medium in modern life.

• during the first campaign meeting 70 coaches full of supporters arrived at Birmingham town hall.
• she condemmened sexual nature, drinking, crime, lawlessness and taking the piss out the royals.

Question 15

what was the NVALA?

Answer 15

In 1965 she co-founded the “national veiwers and listeners associations” -they thought permissiveness was linked with increased socialism and were against, fighting, sex and swearing on the TV
.- suggested to of exaggerated memebership
- they had some successes in that they influenced the passing of the Protection of the children act banning child pornography - 1978

Question 16

what was the Festival of light?

Answer 16

Malcolm Muggeridge founded this organisation and was trying to :

• prevent the sexualisation of TV
• promote christian teaching.