THEME 3: SOCIETY IN TRANSITION, 1918-79
3a: Class and Social Values
1918- CLASS SYSTEM IN 1918
31 Rigid class structure, divided into:
o Industrial WC = manual labourers, skilled craftsmen,
etc
o Lower-MC = semi-skilled clerical jobs, small business
owners, etc
o Middle-class = professionals (e.g., doctors, lawyers,
bankers, etc)
o Upper-class = inherited wealth + titled
Deference intact
Challenges:
o Suffragette movement → saw increasing violence
within movement (e.g., arson + window-smashing) –
women traditionally perceived as passive n docile
o Trade union militancy → radical syndicalists
threatened general strike in 1914
IMPACT OF WWI
Decline in deference:
o High death toll (>700,000) shook WC confidence of
UC generals
o Interclass mixing in trenches
Decline in UC:
o Death disproportionately high for UC → in 1914,
~260 sons of aristocrats died
o Death duties increased for fund WWI → decline in
aristocratic wealth (homes sold to National Trust,
schools, hotels, etc)
o E.g., Duke of Portland → owned 8 houses in 1914: 4
by 1939
Greater equality – e.g., 1918 Rep. of People Act
ECONOMIC IMPACTS
In 1919, gov feared open revolt in industrial areas (e.g.,
Clydeside)
1926 General Strike → The Times (MC newspaper) called
strikers “unpatriotic class warriors”
1931- GREAT DEPRESSION
39 Undermined WC solidarity
o High unemployment → disillusionment with trade
unions → decline in membership
, THEME 3: SOCIETY IN TRANSITION, 1918-79
Growth of new jobs + affluence in Midland and S.E
1939- WARTIME EXPERIENCE
45 Mass Observation → desire for equality amongst WC
Shared war experiences – e.g., evacuation, rationing, etc –
temporarily ‘equalised’ soc
1941 LOVE WITHOUT FEAR PUBLISHED
Sex guide (by a doc) that foregrounded male + female
pleasure
o Sold 3mil copies by 1964
IMPACT OF WWII
1945 GE → advocated greater state intervention
However, privilege + deference = still largely intact
1945- EMERGENCE OF THE ‘LIBERAL SOCIETY’
64 End of rationing (1954) + relaxation of consumer credit →
increased prosperity felt amongst WC
‘Satire boom’ → e.g.,
o ‘Beyond the Fringe’ (popular stage show) = criticised
British establishment
o ‘That Was the Week that Was’ = satirical programme
→ rigorously interviewed politicians
1950s ATTITUDES TOWARDS SEX
By 1949, <1/10 of pop. had sex education
o However, STI cases and sex-workers were
particularly common during WWII
o 1950s survey → ½ women born 1924-34 had
premarital sex
1957 WOLFENDEN REPORT OF HOMOSEXUAL OFFENCES
AND PROSTITUTION
Advocated for harsher laws regarding prostitution
However, argued ‘homosexual activity’ between males in
private should be decriminalised
1958 HOMOESEXUAL LAW REFORM SOCIETY FOUNDED
Lobbied gov to implement 1957 Wolfenden Report
o Backed by significant individual – e.g., Bertrand
Russell + Clement Atlee
‘BRITISH NEW WAVE’
3a: Class and Social Values
1918- CLASS SYSTEM IN 1918
31 Rigid class structure, divided into:
o Industrial WC = manual labourers, skilled craftsmen,
etc
o Lower-MC = semi-skilled clerical jobs, small business
owners, etc
o Middle-class = professionals (e.g., doctors, lawyers,
bankers, etc)
o Upper-class = inherited wealth + titled
Deference intact
Challenges:
o Suffragette movement → saw increasing violence
within movement (e.g., arson + window-smashing) –
women traditionally perceived as passive n docile
o Trade union militancy → radical syndicalists
threatened general strike in 1914
IMPACT OF WWI
Decline in deference:
o High death toll (>700,000) shook WC confidence of
UC generals
o Interclass mixing in trenches
Decline in UC:
o Death disproportionately high for UC → in 1914,
~260 sons of aristocrats died
o Death duties increased for fund WWI → decline in
aristocratic wealth (homes sold to National Trust,
schools, hotels, etc)
o E.g., Duke of Portland → owned 8 houses in 1914: 4
by 1939
Greater equality – e.g., 1918 Rep. of People Act
ECONOMIC IMPACTS
In 1919, gov feared open revolt in industrial areas (e.g.,
Clydeside)
1926 General Strike → The Times (MC newspaper) called
strikers “unpatriotic class warriors”
1931- GREAT DEPRESSION
39 Undermined WC solidarity
o High unemployment → disillusionment with trade
unions → decline in membership
, THEME 3: SOCIETY IN TRANSITION, 1918-79
Growth of new jobs + affluence in Midland and S.E
1939- WARTIME EXPERIENCE
45 Mass Observation → desire for equality amongst WC
Shared war experiences – e.g., evacuation, rationing, etc –
temporarily ‘equalised’ soc
1941 LOVE WITHOUT FEAR PUBLISHED
Sex guide (by a doc) that foregrounded male + female
pleasure
o Sold 3mil copies by 1964
IMPACT OF WWII
1945 GE → advocated greater state intervention
However, privilege + deference = still largely intact
1945- EMERGENCE OF THE ‘LIBERAL SOCIETY’
64 End of rationing (1954) + relaxation of consumer credit →
increased prosperity felt amongst WC
‘Satire boom’ → e.g.,
o ‘Beyond the Fringe’ (popular stage show) = criticised
British establishment
o ‘That Was the Week that Was’ = satirical programme
→ rigorously interviewed politicians
1950s ATTITUDES TOWARDS SEX
By 1949, <1/10 of pop. had sex education
o However, STI cases and sex-workers were
particularly common during WWII
o 1950s survey → ½ women born 1924-34 had
premarital sex
1957 WOLFENDEN REPORT OF HOMOSEXUAL OFFENCES
AND PROSTITUTION
Advocated for harsher laws regarding prostitution
However, argued ‘homosexual activity’ between males in
private should be decriminalised
1958 HOMOESEXUAL LAW REFORM SOCIETY FOUNDED
Lobbied gov to implement 1957 Wolfenden Report
o Backed by significant individual – e.g., Bertrand
Russell + Clement Atlee
‘BRITISH NEW WAVE’
