interwar period

changes in class after WWI

• decline in deference between WC and MC due to life in trenches, men interacting, and more intermingling of classes

• decline the class - due to the high death toll

• decline in aristocracy due to death duties

• more democratic society due to the 1918 Representation of the People Act ( women over 30 could vote and had to own property, and all men could vote over the age of 21 )

• death duties, 40% taxation on inheritance over 2 million

• income tax 57% over 250k

• decrease in union membership

• WC owner occupiers rose from 750k in the 20s to 325000 in 1938

continuity in class after WW1

• still a 3 class social divide

• rare class conflict

• impact of WW1 was short term and temporary 

• high aristocracts still owned houses

The impact of WWI - how much changed

• decline of deference ( submission and respect - high death toll shook w/c confidence and their social superioritylonger held an automatic respect for those above them

• intermingling of classes in trenches - greater empathy between soldiers could for the basis for the popost-waronsensus

• deline in the upper class - death toll was disproportionally high due to them being high senior leaders, 6 peers 16 baronets, 6 knights and 261 sons of aristocrats

• families forced to pay death duties ( iinheritance tax- many araristocratsouldn't afaffordaito ntain their homes

• However,,rdo noover exaggerate, te a,nd the duke of Portland owned 8 grand houses, and by the end of the interwarperiod he had 4

• greater equality - more democratic society -representationnn of the people act

• trade unions gain important concessions

• felt more equal and less disadvantaged

class and social values

• Some feared open class revolt - changes did not lead to social barriers and conventions significantly breaking down

• 1926 general strike -the MCC attacked strikers and called them unpatriotic class warriors

• class conflict would wear

• strikes decline and Tories enjoyed widespread working and mc support

• great depression served to undermine the Solidarity union members rapidly declining due to unemployment

• iIn1939, the class system and society were not so different from 1914

•  

class and social values between the wars - CHANGE

• Examples of class conflict were in decline,and strikes were in decline

• great depression reduced solidarity due to a decrease in union membership 

class and social values between the wars - continuity

• By 1939, the class system and society were not different from 1914

• stidifferentnce anstillll more struggles e the 1926 general strike

• Due to the decline in strikes and not a lot could afford to be in a union

• changes did not lead to social barriers and concentrations significantly breaking down

The upper class CHANGE 

• Upper class lost a lot of respect however, er this won't be temporary, as they were part of the war many lives lost and lost of land

• 1937 country house scheme, able to live in a stately home rent-free if transferred to a National Trust stately home

• rise of labour led to the loss of the upper-class power

• new upper class emerged based on wealth rather than ancestry because of the increased unwillingness of the gentry to work for a living, rather than receive rent

• increase in income tax and death duties 

• ¼ gentry had to sell their lands

• from 1911 HOL can only delay, nnot blockklegislation 

• In 1937, 1/3 of othe gentry were landless 

The upper class CONTINUITY

• cultural events based in lLondonseason was the presentation of aristocrats daughters attended by the royal family and featured a clear identity of the upc

• 1937 County House Scheme allowed people to retain their lifestyle

• Nice of new upperclass, no real decline in elite dominance 

• still played a significant role in determining access to opportunities and positions of influenc.n 

middle class change 

Home ownership became a defining characteristic of middle-class status

• By 1939, 60% McC were homeowners compared to 20% of the WC.

• The Wawi gave financial and commercial jobs in London, 34% 

• increase in white collar jobs 

• clerking jobs for women 17k in 1911 to 1.4k in 195,1, went to exclusive clubs and societies to differentiate from other classes

middle class conitnuity

• The traditional divide between the middle and the upper class was still retained

• McContemporaries blamed trade unions for pushing up wages

working class change

characteristic of the QC

• skilled workers

Between WW1 and WW2, there were temporary changes

• trade unions benefit 90%increasee

• able to negotiate pay but not permanent

Due to the number of conscripts who were turned away on the ground of ill health

• 1918, 10.3% of urban wWCmen were rejected and 31.3% classified as too sickly

reserved iccyoaton ( coal minders) was valued during the warincreased gov intervention rationing led to improvement in the WC

• improved life expectancy

those in new industries had improvements in the standard of living

• became more materialistic

• job security 

• Reduced the social stigma of being on welfare 

working class continuity

• During the pre-SCR time, the lack of serious protests led to a decline in the trade unions 40%

• growth of consumerism

• 50% of voters voted for the Tory party between the warsWCc failed to materialise, and they still lived in squalid houses

• exploitative landlords

• Inequality in wealth, 0.1% of the population owned 33% of he wealth

very little social mobility