1970-1979 Society and Foreign Policy - Key Dates

What are some societal stereotypes for the time period?

• Economic struggles

• Political instability

• Shows = wild and messy

• Working women

• Outdated

How did society change in the 1970s?

• Changed more rapidly - more than any other post war decade

  • increased disposable income & consumer culture

  • foreign travel = common

  • shifting cultural norms and social attitudes

  • women = more power and personal autonomy

What changes were made to increase equality for women? - Positive

• High point of second wave femenism

• support can be seen in the inauguration of international womens day by UN-77

• 1971 - pill widespread into NHS

• 1976 - 1st rape crisis centre & Domestic violence act = could take court orders out restraining partners

What changes were made to increase equality for women? - Limitations

• Split between ideologies:

  • Radical feminists (separatists believed women oppressed by patriarchal society, campaigned for reproductive rights)

  • Socialist feminists (clearer class dimension to equality and campainged for financial independence)

What changes were made to increase equality for young people? - Positive

• youth subcultures reflected changes in society

• 1975-1976 = public movement influenced by US bands

  • e.g. New York Dolls → rejected commercicalisation etc… (lyrics reflected social alienation)

What changes were made to increase equality for young people? - Limitations

• caused concerns for older generations → punk created moral panic

What changes were made to increase equality for minorities and immigrants? - positive

• Race Relations Act 1976 - racial discrimination illegal in employment, housing and public services

• Anti-racist movements - e.g. ‘Rock against racism’ 1976

• Rampten report 1979 highlighted the disadvantages faced by black and asian children in education → bilingual education and multicultural curriculums began to be introduced in some schools

• What changes were made to increase equality for minorities and immigrants? - Limitations

• Weak enforcement of the race relations act

• workplace discrimination persisted

• Tighter immigration laws (commonwealth immigration act 1971 - restricted non-white immigration)

• Police harassment under ‘sus’ laws

• Racial violence & far right extremism led to attacks on minority communities e.g. the national front

What are the 5 key points of Environmentalism during this period?

• Growing awareness - gained momentum in the 60s-70s

• Influential books and events - Silent Spring 1962 exposed pesticide dangers

• Rise of movements - Groups like greenpeace (1971) & global campaigns for climate action

• Anti-nuclear campaigns - protested nuclear power due to its risks

• Animal Rights and extremism - protests for animal rights - turning into the 70s & 80s

Why did Britain join the EEC in 1973 and why was it difficult?

1969 → de gaulle retired and talks began again in 1970

Labour and tories were split over it so a referendum was held to decide if the UK should join or not.

• Doubters in the Tory Party - partly from those who believed in the commonwealth and those who believed Britain would be surrendering her sovreignty

How did the relationship with Rhodeisa develop in the 70s?

• Unresolved crisis from 1965

• Move towards settlement

• no formal diplomative relations, refusal of recognising the white minority gov

• By 1976 → Smith annonced majority rule within 2yrs

• It was other changes in the area, rather than negotiators that led to black majority rule

What was the ‘special relationship’ like in the 1970s?

• Strong military intelligence and nuclear cooperation remained

• Distanced from US focusing more on joining the EEC

• UK neutral stance on the 1973 oil crisis - annoyed US

• Close collab through NATO & US support for the UK’s nuclear program

What was heath’s attitude to the special relationship?

• Pro-Europe focus

• pragmatic approach - practical not emotional relationship

• Greater UK independence

• continued strategic cooperation

  • maintain of military intelligence ties despite political differences

What events affected the ‘special relationship’?

• UK joined the EEC

• Refused support for the vietnam war

• 1973 Yom Kippur war crisis

• Detent with USSR - both supported arms control and maintain cold war cooperation

• 1976 - UK economic crisis - IMF bailout highlighted UK vulnrebility

• Leadership changes → improved diplomatic tone & cooperation

What was the Georgi Markov Affair?

• Markov assasinated in London 1978 - suspected by a poisonous pellet fired by an umbrella

  • the KGB were suspected but it was not proven

What was the UK attitude towards the USSR?

• Anti-communist

• Supported detant - 1970

• espionage concerns

• Human rights criticism

• Military vigilance

What was the attitude towards china?

• Early recognision of the people’s republic of china at the actual gov

• Cautious engagement - mindful of ideological differences

• Geopolitical strategy - viewed china as a counter balance to soviet influence during the cold war