Britain 7- The social and cultural impact of war Flashcards
During the war , how many women entered the workforce?
Around a million
By 1918, how much of the workforce did women make up?
1/3
What year was the sex disqualification act and what did it do?
1919, women no longer had the right to be barred from a career in the law or the civil service on the basis of their gender
What did the sec disqualification act open up to women?
Careers in the civil service, local govt and jury service
What changed culturally for women by the end of the war?
Fashions, with shorter skirts and hairstyles
When was the representation of the people act and what did it mean?
1918
-all men over the age of 21 became entitled to vote
- men over the age of 19 who had seen active service got the right
-women over 30 with property could vote
Why did the miners strike (1921) take place?
-govt refused to nationalise the coal mines
-mine owners cut wages and lengthened hours in order to compete with foreign coal imports
- high levels of unemployment also allowed mine owners to increase wages as the workers had no where else to go
Why were the govt concerned about the miners’ strike of 1921?
A National miners strike occurred and it seemed like it could escalate into a general strike as railway men and transport workers backed the miners.
How did the govt deal with the miners strike?
DLG intervened personally and managed to split the potential alliance. On Black Friday, railway mean and transport workers backed down and miners went on strike alone. They were forced to accept pay cuts.
What were miners forced to accept after the miners strike of 1921?
Pay cuts that left their wages 20% lower than in 1914
What cultural changes occurred during the war?
Stuffier aspects of Victorian society loosened through increased social mobility and changes in women’s political and social positions, challenged assumption of western and European superiority + strengthen ideas of anti-imperialism and anti-colonialism, artists embraces modernism
What cultural aspects didn’t change as a result of the war?
Class divisions remained but with a common bond of suffering due to loss in the war
What did the 1916 conscription act mean?
Meant that men had the right to claim exemption form military service.
What were men called who claimed exemptions from military service?
Conscientious objectors
Give the 3 reasons for being a conscientious objector and an example
Religious reasons (e.g. quakers who believed in pacifism), political reasons (activists of the left saw WWI as an imperialist war)
Moral reasons (some felt it wrong to kill)
