social and class values Flashcards
what were the 4 socail class groups in the early 20th century?
- industrial workign classes - manual alboureres or skilled craftsmen
- lower middle-classes - semi-skilled clerical jobs, small business owners
- middle-classes - hihgly specilised professionals eg.doctors and lawyers
- upper classes - iherited wealth and titles, often represented in the hosue of lords
what impact did WW1 have on class status and interactions
deference and upper-classes
decline of deference
* war forced mixing of classes
* high death tolls reduced respect for upper-class generals
upper-classes
* high death tolls
* death duties - many ahd to seel homes / lands to pay for these
* national trust bought stately homes
not a large decline in the aristocratic class
what was the difference in working-class solidarity / want for class equality post WW1 and WW2
ww1
* great depression undermined WC solidarity
* union membership declined with affluent unions not supporting strikes
WW2
* mass observaation studies : WC had a desire for class equlaity
* evacuation - inter-class cooperation
* Labour government - nationalisation (landslide victory 1945)
overall little real change in social class divide
how did the Labour government of 1945-50 represent the changing class attitudes?
how much did attitudes actually change post war?
- committed to antionalisation and the welfare state - changes in how much the state chould be involved
- some believed that elite institutions shoud be abolished but government was not intending to ensight radical change
- recognition of the suffering of 20s/30s but not a radical class change
didnt change much until 60s-70s
what are examples of WC challenges to the class system?
50s and 60s
- satirical TV
- films questioning class systems
- scandals exposed by tabiods
what was the “satire boom”?
examples
rise in satirical TV in the 50s and 60s
beyond the fringe - mocked british extablishment
what a week it was - combined satirical humour with interviews with politicians
what was the “british New Wave “ ?
exampe and what did this show?
writers and filmakers in the 50s-60s challenging the clas ssytem
book/film - staturday night sunday morning > about the struggles and frustrations of the WC but still enjoys new cosnumerism
showing a decline in class deference and respect
what major sex scandle shocked the nation in the 60s?
why was it so shocking ?
profumo scandle 1965
John Profumo and 19yr old Christeen Keeler
soviet associated were involved in the sex scandle whihc gave way to potential blackmail (no evidence that state secrets were spilled)
widely reported rather than beign ignored like previous upper-class sex scandles
how did the profumo scandle effect the class deference of Britian?
decreased deference
* showed the dishonesty of the upper-classes
* showed the immorality of the upper-class
* made it clear they were not inhernatly worthy of respect
what did the British appear to think about sex in 1950s?
what was the reality?
1950s
think/say
* state regulated private sexual behaviour
* less than 1/10 had sex education (1949)
* foreign observers - reserved and sexually repressed
reality
* protitution florished during/post ww2
* venereal disease high
* 1950s survey - 1/5 women had pre-marrital sex
what was the attitudes towards sex in the 1960s?
attittudes towards sex before marraige homosexuality and infidelity has not changed much
* 1/3 boys 1/6 girls had sex
* his sex was in relationships rather than promiscuous
how did media contribute to loosening of sexual attitudes in 1960s?
- tabloid sex scandles ained large audiences
- advertisemnts used sexaul allure to promote products
what was the lady chatterley trial?
effects
book by D.H Lawrence of aristocratic woman and her lover s
prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act 1959
jury found it has sufficient merit to pass
- reduction of censorship
- growth of pornography
how did the Macmillain govrnment respond to pressure form churches/ other groups to adress declining sexual morals
- Wolfden Report oh Homosexual Offense and Prostetution
- protitution laws made harsher
- private homosexual sex should be decriminalised
gov can police public sexuality but not private
what was the Homosexual Law Reform Society ?
1958
* made after letter to times to reform the law (signed by clemmmet atlee)
* active in campaigning for change
* lobbyed government for Wolfden-esque reforms
