Class and social values

In 1918, social class largely determined…

 a person's status and place in society

What were the four main groups of the British class system before 1918?

Industrial working classes, lower middle class, middle classes, upper classes

Industrial working class

Comprised manual laborers and skilled craftsmen who often lived in tight-knit communities

Lower middle class

Included individuals in semi-skilled clerical jobs and small business owners.

Middle class

Consisted of professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and bankers.

Upper class

Comprised families who had inherited wealth, land, and titles, often in the HOL, many of whom supported the Conservative party.

What is meant by the term deference in the context of social classes?

Tendency for those in higher social classes with positions of power to be treated with deference by those in the lower social orders. Deference refers to the traditional respect and subordination shown by the lower members of society for the social classes above them.

How did World War I impact the social class system?

Decline in Deference, decline in the Upper Classes, greater equality

Decline in Deference due to WW1

• High death toll (704,803 British men killed) shook the confidence the working classes had in upper-class generals who led them

• Life in the trenches also led to working class and middle class men interacting on a more even basis.

• Common experience meant greater empathy between soldiers of different ranks, which continued into the post war period.

• Led to many members of the upper-class members maintaining a sympathy for the lower, translating into more egalitarian political beliefs which were to form the basis of the post-war consensus

Decline in the Upper Class

• WW1 took a disproportionate toll on the Upper Class

• Death toll among UC disproportionately high - esp among young subalterns who may have stood to inherit their family wealth & responsibilities 

• 1914 - six peers, 16 baronets, six knights and 261 sons of aristocrats lost their lives

• 20% of Old Etonians (past students of Eton College) died largely b/c they often served as officers - highlights extent of mortality among privileged social classes

• Many families forced to pay death duties for those killed, a tax on inherited property which largely contributed to ‘decline of the aristocracy’

  • Elder sons often to sell their land or stately homes to pay this

  • Estates over 2 million faced an increase of 40% in duties

• Many aristocrats unable to maintain their grand homes

  • Led to 25% of all gentry land sold off

• Exaggerated impact of war ? - Duke of Portland still owned eight grand houses in 1914 and still maintained four in 1939

Greater equality due to WW1

• Led to a more democratic society = passing of 1918 ROPA

• TU’s had gained important concessions from government thrhought the war in terms of working conditions, pay

• Improved employment conditions during IW period; provision of holiday pay in 1939

• Improved living standards; many felt less disadvantaged than the previous generation, with surplus income and could aspire to a more affluent lifestyle than their parents

What was an indicator of improved living standards in the early 20th century?

Growth in construction of houses for owner-occupiers. 1937 - 275,000 homes were built and Number of owner-occupiers rose from 750,000 in early 1920s to 3,250,000 by 1938. Property ownership was significant in making house owners feel less removed from those of higher status and social class

Did the changes in social values between 1918 and 1939 lead to a significant breakdown of social barriers?

No, the changes in social values during this period did not lead to a significant breakdown of social barriers. While there were some instances of class conflict, such as the General Strike in 1926, these were relatively rare. In 1939, class system and society were not so different from 1914, after WW1.

What were the mixed effects of World War II on social class and class barriers?

World War II had mixed effects on social class. Some historians in the post-war era argued that a social revolution took place. Evacuation, the experience of being made homeless through bombing and the hardships or rationing stimulated all social classes to cooperate and interact in ways they never did before, arguably causing class barriers to diminish. However social research organisation Mass observation suggests that there was very little actual social change and that some events such as the evacuation of working-class children to affluent rural homes often reinforced class prejudices instead of diminishing them.

What changes occurred in post-war attitudes in 1945, and how did they affect the class system?

After World War II, there was a shift towards government intervention with both major political parties advocating for greater state involvement. Post war Labour government’s commitment to nationalisation and welfare state greatly changed the role of the state in people’s lives, arguably contributing to a more equal society. Despite these changes, the class system largely persisted, with no attempt to abolish publish schools. The emphasis was on greater equality of opportunity rather than class equality.

When did more significant changes in social values and class based deference occur?

Bigger changes in social values and class based deference were still to come with the development of a more liberal society in 1950s, 60s and 70s