Towards a new consensus 1987-1997: Society

Question 1

What were some of the radical changes seen to the legal social rights of society?

Answer 1

1. 18 year olds could now vote
2. Feminism and ethnic minorities gained representation
3. Capital punishment stopped
4. Homosexuality was no longer a criminal offence
5. Abortions were now legal

Question 2

What was becoming increasingly accepted to traditional institutions?

Answer 2

• Challenging and criticising them
• Mostly evidenced within the monarchy (divorces and extramarital affairs)
• 1992 fire at Windsor Castle saw tax payers paying £36.5 million in repairs, resulting in protest which saw the Queen paying tax on her personal income for the 1st time
• Monarchy popularity reached its lowest point when Diana was killed and the Queen failed to address the nation for 5 days

Question 3

How did anti establishment culture spread to other areas?

Answer 3

1. Controversial exhibitions in the art world (Tracy Emin won a turner prize for ‘My bed’)
2. Environmental groups saw protesters tunnelling underground to promote new roads being built of chaining themselves to trees to delay work

Question 4

What is an example of the reported anti social behaviour and what did it lead to?

Answer 4

• Acid house music proliferated rave culture, linked to the use of MDMA and ecstasy
• Led to thousands attending week long raves in 1992 events
• Government responded by passing the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act in 1994 which gave the police more power to break up these gatherings

Question 5

Why did people believe Britain was becoming an increasingly violent society?

Answer 5

1. Due to the murders of the toddler Jamie Bulger and Stephen Lawrence (race related hate crime)
2. UK suffered its worst shooting at a primary school

Question 6

What was 1 of the causes identified by society of the ‘violent society’?

Answer 6

Violent movies- led to censorship being introduced by Mary Whitehouse

Question 7

What was changed in 1994 about rape?

Answer 7

Rape within marriage was now a criminal offence

Question 8

What changed with women and tax?

Answer 8

Women could now be taxed differently to their husbands

Question 9

What happened in 1994 which saw advancements for women?

Answer 9

The 1st 32 female priests were ordained by the Church of England

Question 10

How many women were in employment by 1993?

Answer 10

68%, but pay remained at 80% compared to men

Question 11

What movement did the Spice Girls provide for women?

Answer 11

Girl power

Question 12

What happened in 1987 for ethnic minorities?

Answer 12

4 non white MPs were voted in and regained their seats in 1992

Question 13

Why did issues arise with the integration of immigrant communities into mainstream British culture?

Answer 13

The Salman Rushdie affair in 1988 after he published his book The Satanic Verses

Question 14

What was 1 of the reasons for negative attitudes towards homosexuality in the 1980’s?

Answer 14

The identification of AIDS being referred to as a ‘gay plague’

Question 15

How did AIDS stir up greater prejudice about homosexuality?

Answer 15

• Loony left councils were accused of promoting homosexual lifestyles by funding support groups
• Tabloid outcry over the book ‘Jenny lives with Eric and Martin’ which was in school libraries
• In response to this a law was passed in 1988 which banned the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities

Question 16

What was done to the age of consent for homosexual people in 1994?

Answer 16

It was reduced from 21 to 18

Question 17

Why was there moral panic over families in the 1990’s?

Answer 17

1. Divorce rates had hit record highs by the 1990’s
2. Percentage of babies born to unmarried parents increased from 12% in the 1980’s to 30% in the 1990’s
3. Single mothers and absent fathers were criticised

Question 18

What was set up in 1993 for absent parents?

Answer 18

Child Support Agency- ensured that absent parents paid maintenance for their children

Question 19

What happened in 1992 for women?

Answer 19

1. The 1st female speaker in the House of Commons was appointed
2. The 1st female head of MI5 was appointed

Question 20

How many employees were women by 1996?

Answer 20

50%

Question 21

What were some of the signs of progress in race relations?

Answer 21

There were no mass outbreaks of disorder and no riots

Question 22

What are some examples of race progress not being persistent?

Answer 22

1. In 1992 a black Conservative candidate lost to the Liberal Democrats amid rumours of racism
2. Tensions between young black men and the police (exemplified by the murder of Stephen Lawrence)

Question 23

What was the murder of Stephen Lawrence?

Answer 23

• Was a black student who was murdered in 1993 in a racially motivated attack by a gang of white youths
• Actions of police were widely criticised for failing to investigate the case properly and for assuming a black teenager was more likely to be the perpetrator than the victim
• Metropolitan police were seen as institutionally racist

Question 24

What led to conflict between Muslims and British society?

Answer 24

• Salman Rushdie’s novel ‘The Satanic Verses’
• Concerns were raised about Muslim integration into British society
• Many Muslims didn’t agree with the book and protested/burned the book, whereas others accepted it
• Made it difficult for Muslims to reconcile their tensions between British societal values and their Islamic beliefs

Question 25

What was the Dunblane massacre?

Answer 25

• School shooting
• 16 pupils and 1 teacher were shot dead before the shooter killed himself
• 15 people injured
• Public debate centred on gun control laws

Question 26

What did a British social attitudes survey in 1987 show about views towards homosexuality and how does it compare to the 1998 one?

Answer 26

1987: 75% of people believed that same sex relationships were always or mostly wrong

1998: 50% believed that same sex relationships were always or mostly wrong

Question 27

When was the pressure group Stonewall created and what did it campaign for?

Answer 27

• 1989
• Gay rights