class and social values

impact of WW1-decline in deference

•        High death toll, 704,803, shook the confidence the working class had in those that led them, both in the trenches and at home politically.

•        Middle class and working class mixed in the trenches. Both factors led to a decline in deference.

impact of WW1- decline of upper class

Disproportionate death toll amongst the upper classes:

• In 1914 alone, 6 peers, 16 baronets, 6 knights and 261 sons of aristocrats lost their lives.

• Many families were forced to pay death duties for those killed, many forced to sell land or stately homes to pay the tax.

• 1914, than 10% of those working the land owned it, by 1930 this had risen to 33%.

• Many homes became schools, hotels or were passed to the National Trust.

decline of overclass overexaggerated

•        This change should not be overstated:

•        Duke of Portland owned 8 grand houses in 1914 and still maintained 4 in 1939.

impact of WW1- greater equality

• Experience of war had resulted in a more democratic society, with the passing of the 1918 representation of the people act.

• People in work could improve their living standards in the inter-war years and even in the depression when prices fell faster than wages.

• Many people felt more equal- they had a surplus income and could aspire to more affluent lifestyles than their parents

class and social values, 1918-39 (strikes)

•        In 1919 the government feared open revolt in places such as Clydeside. Much of this was because of long-term economic factors this showed that working-class attitudes to other social groups has changes

•        Open class conflict was at the forefront of the General Strike, 1926.

•        The times newspaper tended to represent the views of middle-class, attacking the strikers calling them unpatriotic class warriors. This was rare as strikes were in decline during the 1920s.

class and social values, 1918-39 (depression)

•        The Great Depression served to undermine working class solidarity, as unions in prosperous areas did not strike in support of poorer areas bedevilled by unemployment.

•        This left the class system in 1939 not hugely different from that which existed in 1914.

impact of WW2

•        Mass Observation, throughout WWII, reported a working-class desire for a more equal society, but were unsure about what shape this equality would take

•        Some historians have suggested a social revolution took place in WWII: evacuation, rationing, homelessness following the Blitz, the need for different social classes to interact in ways they hadn’t before thus class barriers diminished.

•        Mass Observation does not quite support this instead said very little social change happened with class distinctions remaining, sometimes reinforced by wartime experiences. E.g evacuee bed wetting being blamed on a working class lack of standards, reinforcing social class divisions.

post-war attitudes:

•        The election in 1945 saw both parties campaigning for greater state intervention, reflecting a change in the role of government, but not necessarily social class.

•        Britain’s class system, privilege and deference remained intact

•        In spite of some Labour politicians desire to abolish elite institutions such as the House of Lords, Eton and Harrow, the Labour victory was more about tackling the hardships of the 1930s than a revolt against the class system.

emergence of a liberal society, 1951-79

•        Increased affluence: materialism and consumerism – end of rationing, relaxation of credit.

•        Ideas of class called into question but also the propriety and morality as established ideas about sexuality, marriage, abortion and homosexuality challenged

•        Reform of laws developed a more liberal and tolerant society where differences weren’t just tolerated but accepted

decline in deference

•        End of rationing in 1954 and relaxation of consumer credit enabled working-class households to enjoy prosperity they dreamed about earlier

•        Traditional ideas about community, social class, and social mobility became increasingly challenged: people challenged the class system from a place of poverty and prosperity

decline in deference- satire boom:

• ‘Beyond the Fringe’ (1960) attracted fierce controversy for making fun of Britan’s establishment: gov, army, and upper-class

• sketch: ‘The Aftermath of the War’ judged Britain’s war effort (even though most people felt proud about Britain’s victory).

• The success led to TV programme ‘That Was the Week that Was’ which combined satirical humour with interviews of leading politicians. First time politician was harshly questioned by journalist and represented a clear change in public attitudes to authorities

decline in deference- British new wave

•        They were a generation of writers and filmmakers who presented Britain’s changing attitude to class system

•        Novels about working class men and women coming to terms with the end of the working- class world of the pre-war era and the birth of new prosperity.

• E.g Alan Sillitoe novel Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, made into a film, 1960. He is a product of a affluent society yet hates his bosses, very popular and indicated the working-class ideas about respect for authority and the older gen were in decline

decline in deference- sex scandals

•        Scandal developed and resulted from changing social attitudes.

•        Satirical magazine ‘private eye’ reported these rumours (sex parties hosted by Astor family) but the rest of the press latched onto them especially when Profumo was accused of sharing a 19 years old sexual partner with a soviet attaché.

•        Profumo scandal, 1963, reported in the popular press – contributed to Tory electoral loss in 1964.

impact of scandal

people shocked members of the establishment had been indulging in seedy practices but also lied about the involvement. Marked a watershed when people realised their leaders weren’t paragons of virtue and didn’t deserve people’s trust purely by virtue of position

1950’s attitudes to sex

•        By 1949 less than 1/10 had received any form of sex education and little evidence parents talked to their kids about it, thus the British were seen as sexually repressed, but seems unlikely:

•        Cases of SDI were high until penicillin.

•        1950s survey concluded: 1/5 of women born between 1894 and 1904 had pre-marital sex; and ½ between 1924 and 1934.

•        1930’s a growing demand for advice books about sex like Love Without Fear by Eustace Chesser, 1941 sold 3 million copies.

1950 attitude to sex- gap between said and done

Big difference between what people in the 1950’s said about sex and what they actually did. Arguably Britain did not experience a sexual revolution but sexual behaviour had been steadily changing throughout the century. If there was a revolution it would just be about the openness or explicit they were willing to discuss about sex

the swinging 60’s

•        Ideas around pre-marital sex and multiple sexual partners became widely accepted.

•        Provocative clothing, lively music, dance, narcotics, and youth showed change

•        Many ideas were provocative. The musical ‘hair’ showed nudity on stage in 1968

public opp to swinging 60’s

• Many conservatives reacted strongly to what was perceived as a lack of morality of the swinging sixties. When band members of rolling stones were briefly imprisoned for possession of narcotics the Times castigated the establishment for over-reacting.

• Real feeling of a generation gap In which the elders couldn’t understand or empathise with the youth  

1960’s attutdes to sex

•        The Sexual Behaviour of Young People by Michael Schofield, 1965 was based on interviews of 2000 teenagers and found 1/3 boys and 1/6 girls between 16-19 had sex. Also, nearly all those that had were in an established relationship and not promiscuous

•        Geoffrey Gorer’s study in 1969 that came to similar conclusions. Attitudes to gay, infidelity, contraception, sex before marriage was very similar to popular attitudes in the 1950’s.

the media

•        deffo an increased openness in talking about sex in 1960’s.

•        British newspapers played an important role in sexualising society.

•        Tabloid sex scandals and the discussion of sex in news articles and features not only captured a large audience but associated sex with celebrity and consumerism e.g ads featured sexual allure as a sales tactic

the media- lady Chatterley trial

•        Lady Chatterley trial under the Obscene Publications Act, 1959. led to a growth in pornography. The case demonstrated that the laws surrounding obscenity were outdated and attitudes towards sex and morality was changing, many people regard it as the start of Britain’s ‘permissive society’.

•        Reportage of scandals polarised British public opinion on sex between those who were shocked and alarmed about the rise of ‘permissive’ attitudes and those that didn’t give a shit

sexuality and the state- the wolfden report, 1957

Report said that there was a decline in ‘morality’ since the war and family life had been weakened. prostitution laws should be harsher and homosexuality decriminalised if over the age of 21 and in private. Prostitution was a public display of immorality but at least male homosexuality was hidden behind closed doors. this meant that the state could police public acts of sexuality but had no right to regulate private life

Homosexual Law Reform Society, 1958.

•        This followed the Times called for a reform to the law and implementing the Wolfden report

Sexual Offences Act, 1967.

Jenkin despite having conservative opinions on sexual morality believed homosexuality should be decriminalised because criminalising aspects of private life was ‘uncivilised’,

•        Also allowed David Steel to pass Abortion Act, 1967 which legalised abortion up to 28 weeks

ops on both reforms

•        However, both reforms weren’t very popular, despite affluence attitudes towards private life didn’t change. 85% of those interviewed disapproved of homosexuality and half believed it should be punished more severely.

opponents of the liberal society

•        At the end of the sixties, attitudes towards lifestyle and sexuality remained conservative.

•        Moors Murders 1966 blamed on a non-marital sexual relationship being a cause for their crimes. The fact that their relationship status had no bearing on their action was overlooked by readers who were shocked by the crime and the decline in moral standard.

Tabloids linked sexual behaviour to teenage crime, vandalism and hooliganism

•        Mary Whitehouse:

•        1964, school teacher with Christian values, launched a campaign group called Clean Up TV. She believed TV was most corrupting median in modern life and introducing un-Christian ideals.

Was a rapid popularity of her organisation indicated many agreed with her, first meeting in Birmingham Town Hall was packed- criticism directed towards BBC.

•        She condemned sex on TV, drinking, criticism of the royal family, crime. Views were very extreme and it was her duty to bring country back to Christian roots.

•        She co-founded the National Viewers and Listeners Association (NVALA)

NVALA

•        opposed to sex, violence, swearing, blasphemy, republicanism and associated permissiveness with creeping ‘socialism’.

•        Most people thought this was absurd they still claimed to have had 100,000 members and still shows the fears of moral decline amongst pop

•        Organisations impact was limited and little evidence media took it seriously. It gained publicity but its influence was small

•        Secularisation: decline in organised Christianity. Holy Communion: 1935: 3 million, 1945: 2.5 million, 1970-2 million. Christianity lowkey irrelevant to some

NVALA success

•        Protection of Children Act, 1978 - banned child pornography could argue that was NVALA success

•        Indecent Displays Act, 1981 – banned indecent advertisements

•        Banned the pornographic movie, Deep Throat in 1976; a Danish filmmaker from Britain who wanted to make a film about Christ’s sex life and a successful blasphemy trial against Gay News for a heretical poem about Christ.

Festival of light

•        Malcolm Muggeridge founded it

•        Prevent sexualisation on TV and promote Christian teachings

•        Nationwide events organised: lighting beacons on hill tops- attracted 100,000 people to take part yet did little to change the content of TV programmes or alter public attitudes to sex