The Sixties 64-70 Flashcards
What social changes took place in the 50s and 60s in regards to the middle-class
Increased social mobility
End of censorship caused increased awareness
Age of consumerism
Tax cuts, higher wages, union activity, better work condition
What social changes took place in the 50s and 60s in regards to teenagers
Voting age lowered to 18
Very anti-war and anti-nuclear (hippies)
More common higher education
Ending of National Service created less macho/agro generation
What social changes took place in the 50s and 60s in regards to women
More free time
Contraceptives led to family planning
Abortion and divorce legalised
Second wave of feminism
What social changes took place in the 50s and 60s in regards to immigrants
90% of people opposed interracial marriages
Race Relation Acts clamped down on discrimination
Clamp down on immigration
Enoch Powell
Changes in relation to homosexuality
Decriminalised it in 67, before many other countries
Homosexual relations only legalised over the age of 21
Vassall affair caused increased homophobia
No gay marriage or civil partnerships
Culture was still homophobic
Changes in relation to divorce
Divorce Reform Act 1969 allowed unilateral and no-fault divorce
2 years seperate if both parties agree, or 3 years seperate if unilateral.
Changes in reltion to the death penalty
Opposition arose in the 50s
Outlawed in the 1965 Murder Act
Slight increase in violent crime after outlawing
Ruth Ellis case raised awareness for it
What was the Ruth Ellis case?
Model who stabbed abusive husband, public sided with her in the case but she was still hanged
Last woman to be executed in UK
Changes in relation to abortion
Legalised in 1967 for under 28 weeks
100,000-200,000 illegal abortions per year before legalisation
Originally on-demand abortion was not what was advocated for by politicians, but that is how it developed
Who spearheaded much of the ‘liberal legislation’ under Wilson?
Roy Jenkins (Home Sec)
What law legalised homosexuality?
Sexual Offences Act 1967
What law legalised abortion?
Abortion Act 1967
How did liberal bills come about?
They were Private Member Bills, and weren’t endorsed by the party (moral issues weren’t in Labour manifesto)
What law ended capital punishment?
Murder Act 1965
What law legalised divorce?
Divorce Reform Act 1969
How much did divorce rates increase by the 70s?
It had quintupled (0.2% before liberalisation -> 1% in mid-70s)
What crisis changed peoples minds on abortion?
Thalidomide
What justification was needed to abort a foetus after liberalisation?
Mental suffering
What were the caveats in the liberalisation of homosexuality?
- No marriage or civil partnerships
- Decriminalised, not legalised
- Both partners over the age of 21
- Had to ‘be in private’ (this was often interpreted as no one else being in the building)
What matters were subject to liberal legislation?
-Homosexuality
-Abortion
-Divorce
-Capital Punishment
-Education
-Censorship
What were the issues surrounding the tripartite system of education?
Socially divisive
Secondary students looked down upon as ‘11+ rejects’
Grammar schools dominated by middle class
What is a comprehensive school?
A school which provides secondary education fot all children in a given area. Had grown tenfold since 1951
What was comprehensivisation?
Education minister Tony Crossland requested all schools to be turned into comprehensives.
Money would be given to comprehensives for new school buildings.
After comprehensivisation, 1/3 of students went to comprehensives, up from the previous 1/10.
Report on British education
Robbins Report showed that UK was lagging behind US, France and Germany in STEM
Polytechnics and STEM-focused universities were created that were less dominated by middle-class than most universities.
What was the Open University?
Harold Wilson’s passion project, (what he wants to be remembered by).
University for those who didn’t have the opportunity to get higher education.
High quality degrees in art and science.
Used radio and TV as long-distance learning to reach many.
More students than Oxbridge
Headed by Jennie Lee
How many people had TVs in 1961?
75%
Change in holidays from 1950-70
27m to 41m
What were the aftermath of relaxation of censorship?
More liberal attitudes, as issues such as sex, violence, politics, violence and religion could be discussed.
‘Wave of decadence’ never hapened.
The play Hair showed full frontal nudity to the audience.
How many university students were female in the 70s?
30%
When did the Equal Pay Act come into affect?
1975
What were the four demands of the National Women’s Liberation Conference?
-Equal pay
-Free contaception and abortion
-Equal educational and job opportunities
-Free 24 hour childcare
Who was Mary Whitehouse?
Very conservative advocate for censorship, opposed social liberalism and the permissive society.
What was the increase in drug usage in the first half of the 60s?
Cocaine and heroine usage increased tenfold
Who were Wilson’s home secretaries?
Roy Jenins and Jim Callaghan
What caused the youth to become more rebellious?
Increased living standards, spread of education, ending of National Service
How did entertainment change to fit youth culture?
Establishment of Radio 1
Changes in fashion and music
TV shows like Top of the Pops
Anti-Vietnam Protest
Battle of Grosvenor Square; 80,000 students gathered outisde the American embassy in 1968, 200 were arrested.
What voting reform took place during The Sixties?
Voting age was lowered from 21 to 18
What subcultures developed in The Sixties?
Hippies - Counter-culture, anti-War, anti-nukes, drug culture, incorporated other cultures, The Beatles
Skinheads - Developed from mods, apolitical but associated with far-right, anti-immigration, hooligans, Paki-bashing
How many votes did Powell get the Conservatives in the 1970 election?
2.5 million
What was Harold Wilson’s promise on technology?
To reforge Britain in the white heat of technological revolution
What characterised Labour’s ‘technological progress’?
The Post Office Tower
Concorde
Open University (‘University of the Air’)