context Flashcards
JB PRIESTLEY
. witnessed lots of poverty, raised by socialist values.
. served in the army himself, his experiences at war made him realise how social inequality had consequences
. focused on responsibility and how both the individual and the collective have certain duties.
VICTORIAN INFLUENCES
(it isnt written or set in the victorian era but it is though that it has influences from this culture)
1. THE POOR- the idea that there was an undeserving and deserving poor. the poor were expected to practice self-help, had to make efforts to get themselves out of poverty.
2. women- idea of ‘fallen women’ that were condemned and ostracised by society.
3. hierarchies- victorian morals were taken from the bible- believing in honesty, politeness and obedience to the law. heirarchies were determind by age, gender, wealth and heritage.
4. repression- there was lots of repression which led to many upper class men living double lives, where they took part in ‘sinful’ activities which usually they would condemn.
IMPACT OF WORLD WARS
1st- 1914-1918, 2nd- 1939-1945
. it left a dismantled class system, wealth meant little when the country was at war, meaning the upper classes experienced the same conditions as the poor.
. the government becamre much more involved in people’s lives during ww2.
. during these times there was a great depression- worst economic event since industrialisation.
CLASS SYSTEM 1912
. very similar to system set up by victorians
. upper classes often had luxurious stately homes.
. lower classes often had many children, to increase the number who could work for a wage.
WOMEN in the class system.
. particularly difficult for lower class women. the work available to them was the lowest paid and the lowest-skilled as many women didnt have much education.
unmarried women were ostracised from society and often lived in poverty. many working class women were forced into prostitution because there was no other choice.
SERVANT CLASS in 1912
. lower classes were expected to serve upper classes.
after the industrial revolution, many people started to work in factories or warehouses that were often controlled by wealthy families.
. there were stereotypes of the servant class being dirty and sinful and people thought that they would threaten the purity of the nation.
changes by 1945
the 2 world wars did lots of damage against the class system.
all people of any class could now vote
however stereotypes and misgivings still remained.
britian had changed on the outside but its feelings and attitudes were preserved.
the country had become socialist- new labour government that aimed for social reform.
industrial revolution +workers
1760-1840 but impacts are still seen in 1912. transition from manual labour within industry/agriculture to machinery and new processes.
huge growth in population and income- urban spaces became very cramped .
because of the industrial revo- a new class emerged, before upper classes had come from old money a new group of new money emerged. they had made money from industries and this was often seen as less respectable.
this creates tension between old and new
workers rights in 1912
many workers were unhappy with they way they were treated and so wanted to advocate for change. groups called trade unions formed. the demands were mainly ignored- people didnt like the idea of working class demanding things from upper classes. this led to strikes.
workers rights in 1945
they had improved but still had a long way to go. regulations were much more severe.
the 2nd world war allowed women to work in their places.
capitalism v. socialism
capitalism- an economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, relies of risk and doing anything to lower the cost of manufacturing. people who aren’t skilled or can’t work are a disadvantage to them.
socialism- a political and economic theory of social organisation which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. encourages cooperation and empowerment of workers. value of good is determined by their usefulness to people.
womens rights in 1912
1912;
. under control of their husbands and fathers, they couldn’t vote and were expected to fill a domestic role. divorce was shunned by society. there were lots of issues surrounding domestic and sexual violence- women couldn’t get a court order against their husbands. abortions were illegal and many women died in childbirth. womens suffrage was evolving and the movement was often associated with left wing socialist policies.
womens rights in 1945
war effort contributed to women’s suffrage movement. women could now hold and dispose of property and they could go into jobs they couldn’t do before. however there wasn’t equal pay.
