Social Developments Flashcards
Britains society in 1951
British social life looks to the past it was regional and class loyalties were strong. It was usually easy to recognise peoples origins and social backgrounds from their dress or accent, and their class attitudes were reinforced by stereotypes.
Rising living standards
There were desperate need for housing developments pre-war. Slums were cleared and new towns were built such as Harlow and Essex. Men’s weekly wages were going up and ownership, increased and mortgages were cheap.
The impact of consumerism
Televisions and washing machines were bought in higher purchase. The number of households owning a television rose by 32%.
The impact of affluence
After ITV launched people became accustomed to adverts and affluence enable new leisure opportunities. People had time to develop hobbies, such as gardening, and there was a booming car ownership.
What holiday camp reached its peak of popularity in 1950
Butlins
60,000 people holidayed each week
Class and the establishment
By 1950s, there was a sign of a shift in attitudes, hinting out the gradual breakdown of old social restrictions. Britain began to be more individualistic and less conformist, which was less willing to follow the lead set by Britain establishment.
What is “the establishment”
A term for the informal networks that connected to social and political elites. These are privileged people who had influence.
Critics of the establishment
Critiques of the establishment believe that Britain was held back by the ruling elite, and their perception of the ruling class was that it emphasised art education in preference to science and block talent from outside the establishment.
The position of woman
Women was seen as housewives by the 1950s, and on average marriage was 21. By 1964, the number of women working had risen. However, trade unions tended to not support women as they believe this would lower wages.
Household ownership of luxury items
Between 1957 and 1959, the number of households owning a washing machine rose by 54% and refrigerator by 58%.
Attitudes to immigration and racial violence
Arrival of immigrants
Indian migrants who arrived on the Empire windrush in 1948, were cause of social change and social tensions. In 1958, 210,000 Commonwealth immigrants and settles in Britain working to support families back home.
Gangs of white August 1958
In Nottingham gangs of White youths, went on what they called hunts for black people after pub brawls and broke out riots in the same year.
Oswald Mosley
The leader of the British fascism, who tried to use the issue by standing as the union movement candidate in the 1959 election, “river of blood” speech, he raised concerns for immigration.
The 1962 Commonwealth immigrants act
Used to regulate the amount of commonwealth immigrants coming to settle in the country, and too allow the government to deport those who have been in the country less than 5 years.
Commonwealth immigration act 1962, reluctance to use the policy
That was reluctance to use the policy to control immigrations from countries with close historical links to Britain. The labour party opposed the act in 1962 but did not appeal it after the 1964 election.
Emergence of the “teenager” and youth culture
Teenagers in the late 1950s
Teenagers had increasingly more time and the new labour saving devices meant that girls didn’t have to help their mum at home as mum and boys didn’t have to take part in national service after 1960.
Emergence of teenagers and youth culture
Style and music
They dressed differently to their parents and listened to different music. They went to new coffee bars rather than old tea houses.
Emergence of teenagers and youth culture
Post war baby boom
The post war baby boom had swelled the number of teenagers, a survey in 1959 estimated that were was 5 million teenagers in Britain (10% of Britain’s population). Making them more visible and more economically important.
The emergence of teenagers and youth culture
Technology
Young people have money to buy records and fashion helping to create their own culture. late 1950s, There were magazines and TV programs aimed at youths. changes in technology like the transistor radio helped spread the culture.
The emergence of teenagers and youth culture
Youth subcultures
In the early 1950s, teddy boys were seen as a concerning phenomenon and were linked with juvenile delinquency crime. They were replaced by the rockers and the mods in the late 1950s, who would go down to Brighton and fight each other.
The emergence of the teenager and youth culture
Mods and rockers
Rockers Rode heavy motorcycles will leather listen to rock and roll music, mods Rode scooters or smart suits and preferred sophisticated pop music.
Changing social attitudes and tension
Film and tv created tensions
Racial tension was the theme of “sapphire”1959, crime thriller with a rather daring portrayal of sex and violence. Television was produced campaigning programs designed to raise controversy about social issues.
Changing social attitudes tensions
TV shows and films breaking down censorship and social taboos
“Victim”, 1961 starring dirk Bogarde was the first English language film to mention homosexual. “ taste of honey” 1958 told the story of a young unmarried woman who becomes pregnant after a relationship with a black sailor.
Changing social attitudes and tensions
Mary Whitehouse
The new culture was not universally popular, there backlash against the new “immorality and depravity”, led by Mary Whitehouse, and supported by parts of the National express.
