Social and Cultural Change 1964-1970

Question 1

Expansion of the Mass Media - TV

Answer 1

Director-general of the BBC from 1960-69, Hugh Green, encouraged development of new programming: more populism (support for ordinary people), satire, and realistic drama e.g. The Wednesday Play.
ITV started 1955 and BBC2 started 1964.
25% ^ in TV ownership between 1961-1971. (90% of people had one by 1971).
TWTWTW TV show –> Wilson became target of satire during Vietnam War for not denouncing it.
Introduction of colour TV.

Question 2

Expansion of the Mass Media - Radio

Answer 2

Teens listened to popular music broadcasted through pirate radio stations and then from Radio Luxembourg and BBC Radio 1.

Question 3

Expansion of the Mass Media - Print Media

Answer 3

Newspapers and magazines survived by adapting - The Sun was launched 1964 and maintained high readership by reflecting popular culture.

Question 4

What encouraged a growth in leisure activities?

Answer 4

People had more time for leisure due to paid holidays, fewer people working Saturdays and end of national service.

Question 5

How did leisure change during the 1960s - at home?

Answer 5

Traditional activities e.g. gardening and cooking remained popular and TV programmes reflected these interests.
Other hobbies e.g. knitting could be done while watching TV.

Question 6

How did leisure change during the 1960s - out of the home?

Answer 6

TV meant attendance at live entertainment e.g. theatre and football matches fell.
But access to cars enabled people to travel easily to activities such a golf or shopping.

Question 7

How did leisure change during the 1960s - holidays?

Answer 7

Britannia Airways founded 1964 to fly to Spain and Malta.

Traditional seaside holiday in UK not only option now.

Question 8

Impact of scientific developments

Answer 8

Space travel 1961, moon landing 1969, Concorde (turbojet).
New tech changed everyday life by making cars, household appliances and transistor radios more affordable.
Introduced new fabrics e.g. PVC in fashion.
Made contraceptive pill available.
Medical - hearing aids, antibacterial drugs, better X-ray equipment.

Question 9

Why was theatrical censorship abolished with the 1968 Theatres Act?

Answer 9

Due to PMB but also had support of Roy Jenkins.
Ended jurisdiction of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office for the censorship of theatre productions.
Disputes with the Royal Court Theatre which wanted to stage controversial productions e.g. Edward Bond’s ‘Saved’ in 1965.
Labour MP George Strauss launched PMB met with little opposition.

Question 10

What happened with Film censorship?

Answer 10

Remained under the British Board of Film Censors.
However, film covered more daring themes such as adultery, abortion, illegitimacy e.g. ‘Darling’ in 1965.
On TV, BBC’s ‘Wednesday Play’ also covered these themes.

Question 11

Why did Second-wave feminists feel unfulfilled and restricted in their lives?

Answer 11

Working mothers portrayed as unnatural.
By 1970, 28% of students women, but did not lead to greater employment opportunities, with only 5% of women in managerial posts by 1970.
Women generally paid less.

Question 12

Key feminist texts published

Answer 12

The Feminine Mystique (Friedman 1963)
Women: The Longest Revolution (Mitchell, 1966)
The Female Eunuch (Greer, 1970)

Question 13

What did the First Women’s Liberation Conference held in 1970 demand?

Answer 13

Equal Pay
Free contraception
Abortion on request
Equal education and employment opportunities
Free 24hr childcare

Question 14

NHS Family Planning Act 1967

Answer 14

Allowed local authorities to provide contraception advice.

Question 15

Matrimonial Properties Act 1970

Answer 15

Helped ensure that a woman’s role in the home was taken into account in divorce settlements.

Question 16

Equal Pay Act 1970

Answer 16

Established the principle of equal pay for equal work although didn’t come into force for 5 years.

Question 17

How did labour saving devices change women’s lives?

Answer 17

Freed women from drudgery of kitchen.

However, advertising of these reinforced the female role as housewife.

Question 18

How did education/career prospects for women change?

Answer 18

Increased education and access to higher education encouraged women to develop higher expectations.
However, slow and difficult progress along career paths was frustrating.

Question 19

How did the workplace impact women?

Answer 19

The increased availability of jobs gave women greater independence.
However, still responsible for home and children.

Question 20

How were women liberated from unwanted pregnancy?

Answer 20

Greater control of family planning liberated women from unwanted pregnancy.
However, men could avoid responsibility for family planning.

Question 21

How did divorce liberate women?

Answer 21

Easier divorce created greater freedoms.

However still a lack of economic independence.

Question 22

What was the permissive society and what did people think of it?

Answer 22

Liberal changes in society.
Some argued society was better for being more liberal and tolerant.
Critics argued society was made worse by a decline in moral standards.

Question 23

In what ways was society permissive?

Answer 23

The availability of contraception.
Easier divorce.
Decriminalisation of homosexuality.
No. of illegitimate births rose by 2-3% from 1960-1970.
Changing attitudes to sex exemplified by hippy emphasis of ‘free love’.
STI rates ^
Decline in censorship and rise in more daring themes in books, films, theatre and TV.
Drugs in popular culture with pop stars e.g. The Beatles using cannabis and LSD.
The Wootton Report recommended decriminalistion of soft drugs.

Question 24

In what ways was society limited rather than permissive?

Answer 24

Catholic Church opposed contraceptive pill.
Mary Whitehouse’s ‘Clean Up TV Campaign’ launched 1964. She also established the National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association in 1965 to campaign against declining moral standards.
Rejection of the Wootton Report by Home Secretary James Callaghan.
Sentence for drug sypplying ^ to 14 years by 1970.
Most young people either virgins at marriage or married first sexual partner.
Young people used alcohol and tobacco more than illegal drugs.

Question 25

Youth Culture - in music

Answer 25

Pirate radio stations broadcast pop music.
1967 BBC started Radio 1 to respond to demand.
TV also broadcast youth music shows e.g. Top of the Pops from 1964.

Question 26

Youth Culture - fashion

Answer 26

London seen as fashion capital of world mid 1960s.

Caused clash with older gen as women wore trousers and miniskirts while men wore bright patterns.

Question 27

Youth Culture - subcultures

Answer 27

Skinheads emerged from Mod culture.
Hippies rejected social conventions and promoted free love, environmentalism and peace.
Mods clashed with rockers –> fighting emerged at Brighton beach on a Bank Holiday between the two.

Question 28

How did the Ford women’s Dagenham Strike encourage the need for Equal Pay?

Answer 28

Women working there paid 85% of men’s wages, while at other Ford plants they were paid 92%.
Barbara Castle after this wanted equal pay for women. 1964 Labour Manifesto had called for a charter of rights for all employees. TUC followed this with a resolution in 1965 for equal pay for equal work.

Question 29

Anti-Vietnam War Riots

Answer 29

US involvement grew sharply after 1964.
Involvement heavily criticised once details of how the war impacted civilian population became apparent.
1965, Teach ins on Vietnam held at Oxford Uni and LSE.
1966, Vietnam Solidarity Campaign (VSC) set up.
17th March 1968, Violence broke out at an anti-Vietnam War demonstration held outside the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London.
28th March 1968, ‘Battle of Grosvenor Square’ - 200 people arrested.
Oct 1968, Anti-war demonstration outside Grosvenor Square attracted 30,000 people.
Rioters threw eggs at Wilson and manhandled his wife when visiting university of Cambridge.

Question 30

Why was Wilson’s first Queen’s Speech notable?

Answer 30

Called for Sir Alec Douglas-Home to reject Smethwick’s MP, Griffiths, for his racist Conservative campaign - ‘if you want a n***** for a neighbour, vote Labour’.
Wilson wanted him to serve time in the commons as a ‘parliamentary leper’.

Question 31

Where were immigrants coming from?

Answer 31

The New Commonwealth.

Question 32

What highlighted Racial Tension and concerns about immigration?

Answer 32

1965, 1/5 didn’t want to work with black or asians; 50% didn’t want black next-door neighbour; 9/10 disapproved of mixed marriages.
1968 Commonwealth Immigration Act.
1968 Enoch Powell ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech.

Question 33

The Commonwealth Immigration Act 1968

Answer 33

Asians in Kenya facing persecution began to arrive in Britain in greater numbers. Act restricted rights for non-white Commonwealth citizens. Tried to reduce no. of immigrants into UK.

Question 34

What was the River of Blood speech about in 1968 and what was the response?

Answer 34

predicted uncontrolled immigration would lead to rivers of blood (tensions and clashes). Was sacked from cabinet but enjoyed great deal of support from the public. Ironically, increased tensions after.

Question 35

What highlighted integration and attempts to stop discrimination?

Answer 35

1964 Notting Hill Carnival became annual event.
1965 Race Relations Act.
Race Relations Board Set up.
1968 Race Relations Act.
Youth culture incorporated the music, fashion and philosophies of immigrant cultures.

Question 36

What was the 1965 Race Relations Act?

Answer 36

Forbade discrimination in public places on basis of race or colour, but excluded housing and employment..

Question 37

Why was the Race Relations Board set up?

Answer 37

To consider complaints.

Although, 700/900 cases held in first year dismissed because lack of evidence.

Question 38

What was the 1968 Race Relations Act?

Answer 38

Banned discrimination in housing, employment and services.

The Race Relations Board was strengthened but problems remained.