Topic 2: Social change (1964-70)

Question 1

4

Describe change in the expansion of TV (1964-70)

Answer 1

• TV ownership increased to 91% in 1971 from 75% in 1961
• By 1969, TV accounted for 23% of lesiure time
• Hugh Greene (BBC Director-General 1960-69) reformed radio/tv in sixties
• 1967, BBC Two became first channel to show colour

Question 2

2

Describe continuity in the expansion of TV (1964-70)

Answer 2

• TV ownership had been high beforehand
• Massive changes with ITV launch in 1955

Question 3

6

Describe change in the expansion of radio (1964-70)

Answer 3

• Hugh Greene (BBC Director-General 1960-69) reformed radio/tv in sixties
• Development of cheap and portable transitor radio permitted survival
• Growth of commercial radio stations (e.g. Radio Luxembourg) to counter 3 BBC radio stations
• Rise of pirate stations from 1964 (e.g. Radio Caroline broadcast from ship off Essex Coast)
• Shut down by Marine Broadcasting Act 1967
• Former pirate DJs hired by BBC

Question 4

2

Describe change in the expansion of print media (1964-70)

Answer 4

• Tabloid, The Sun, launched in 1964 and replaced more serious WC paper, the Daily Herald (though not tabloid until 1969 Murdoch purchase) - pg3 girls by 1970
• End of censorship - more permissive

Question 5

6

Describe change in the growth of leisure activities (1964-70)

Answer 5

• By 1969, TV accounted for 23% of leisure time
• Cars permitted travel to larger shopping centres and leisure facilities
• Holidays (see other card)
• OU creation
• Rise in popularity of football after World Cup win in 1966
• Restrictions on footballers’ pay removed

Question 6

3

Describe change in holidays (3 or more days) (1964-70)

Answer 6

• Holidays abroad rose from 4m in 1961 to 7m in 1971
• British Airways founded in 1964 - offerred European flights to places such as Malta
• Package holidays grew from 4% in 1966 of total holidays to 8.4% in 1971

Question 7

4 - focussed on sport + holidays

Describe continuity in leisure activities (1964-70)

Answer 7

• Other WC sports did not garner same attention as football
• Cost of air travel meant foreign holidays were reserved for wealthy middle class
• 1971, 41m holidays, only 7m of which abroad
• Package holidays still in infancy

Question 8

4

Describe change in scientific developments (1964-70)

Answer 8

• Labour government made scientific development a key aim
• 1969, Concorde’s first flight (made by an Anglo-French partnership)
• ‘Post Office Tower’ opened in 1965 to improve telecommunications (then tallest builiding in britain)
• Launch of polytechnics

Question 9

3

Describe change in the reduction of censorship (1964-70)

Answer 9

• Theatres Act 1968 abolished Lord Chamberlain’s right to censor stage plays
• PMB by George Strauss (Labour backbencher) with Home Office support
• Rise in productions with nudity and swearing

Question 10

5

Describe continuity in the reduction of censorship (1964-70)

Answer 10

• Newly dispensed books, like Fanny Hill, and productions, like Hair, would prove controversial
• Censorship remained through ‘British Board of Film Censors’ e.g. Alfie (1966) banned for abortion links
• Mary Whitehouse - ‘Clean-up TV’ pressure group launched in 1964
• Campaign led to ‘National Viewers and Listeners association’ in 1965, soon to hold 100k members
• Arguably legitimised decadence of 50s, rather than spurring revolution in arts

Question 11

5

Describe change in female equality (1964-70)

Answer 11

• Second-wave feminism spread from USA, esp influential among middle classes
• Several Women became political heavyweights (Castle, Williams, Hart)
• 1st National Women’s Liberation Conference in 1970 set demands for equal pay and free 24hr childcare
• 1970 Equal Pay Act
• 1970 Matrimonial Property Act

Shirley Williams, Judith Hart

Question 12

1

What did the 1970 Equal Pay Act do?

Answer 12

Prevented discrimination in employment, between men and women

Question 13

1

What did the 1970 Matrimonial Property Act do?

Answer 13

work of wife, whether in employment or at home, taken into account of divorce settlements

Question 14

5

Describe continuity in female equality (1964-70)

Answer 14

• Idea of female domesticity remained strong in 60s
• 1945 election - 24 women MPs, still only 26 by 1970
• Loopholes in 1970 Equal Pay Act
• Women accounted for only 28% of students in higher edu in 1970
• Only 5% ever reached managerial posts

Question 15

6

List examples of ‘moral attitudes’

Answer 15

• Sex and contraception
• Abortion
• Divorce reform
• Homosexual relations
• Drugs
• Law and Order

Question 16

6

Describe change in sex, divorce and abortion (1964-70)

Answer 16

• NHS Family Planning Act of 1967 (allowed local authorities to provide contraceptives and contraceptive advice)
• Number of illegitimate births rose from 6% in 1960 to 8% in 1970
• Development of antibiotics meant STDs like syphillis could be easily treated
• Pill available on NHS for all women from 1967 (had been available for married women from 1961)
• In 1963, 66% believed premarital sex between couples was wrong - had fallen to 10% by 1970s
• Sex now seen as recreational, not procreational

Question 17

3

Describe continuity in sex, divorce and abortion (1964-70)

Answer 17

• In 1970, only 9% of women relied on pill
• Gorer’s 1969 survey found that only 12% expressed a ‘tolerant’ attitude towards homosexuals despite decriminalisation
• Social attitudes remained conservative outside Westminster bubble

Question 18

3

Describe change in drug attitudes (1964-70)

Answer 18

• 1968 LEMAR rally in Hyde Park called to legalise cannabis
• Rise of LSD
• Cocaine and heroin addiction became 10x more prevalent in the first half of the 60’s

essentially no change

Question 19

6

Describe continuity in drug attitudes (1964-70)

Answer 19

• Dangerous Drugs Act 1967 made possession of cannabis and cocaine unlawful
• 1967, 77% believed taking soft drugs should be a criminal offence
• By 1967, 2.5k prosecutions of cannabis possession
• Wilson rejected Wootton Report 1968 calling for legalisation of soft drugs
• 1970, maxmimum sentence for supplying drugs increased to 14 years
• Major social problem at time

Question 20

2

Describe change in law and order (1964-70)

Answer 20

• Death penalty abolished in 1969
• Decline in order seen in organised fighting between Mods and Rockers e.g. in Brighton

Question 21

2

Describe continuity in law and order (1964-70)

Answer 21

• Across 60’s, 61% to 82% of population in favour of tougher sentencing for muderers
• 1969 Conservative party conference in favour of restoration of capital punishment - though not adopted by Heath

Question 22

4

Describe change in youth culture (1964-70)

Answer 22

• Portable transistor radio
• 1969 survey, more young people spent time listening to music at home than going to clubs/concerts
• Hippie movement grew - focussed on peace and environmentalism
• Changing fashion masked old class divisions

Question 23

3

Describe continuity in youth culture (1964-70)

Answer 23

• Continued mods vs rockers violence
• Continued free time (e.g. end of National Service for boys after 1960)
• Skinheads distinctive to working class

Question 24

2

Describe the main incident of rioting between Mods and Rockers during the sixties

Answer 24

• Summer 1964, Clacton
• 1k Mods fighting Rockers and police

Question 25

# 3 Describe the anti-Vietnam war riots of the 60s

Answer 25

* Teachings of Vietnam in Summer 1965 by Oxford and LSE * 1966, Vietnam Solidarity Campaign (VSC) set up - garnered support among university students * Battle of Grosvenor Square 1968

Question 26

# 3 Describe the Battle of Grosvenor Square 1968

Answer 26

* March 1968 * Demonstrations against American Embassy * Led to arrest of 200

Question 27

# 4 Describe the Race Relations Act 1965

Answer 27

* Made it illegal to discriminate on ground of race in public places * Set up two bodies: * Race Relations Board - to handle complaints arising from Act * National Committee for Commonwealth Immigrants - to promote contact between races

Question 28

# 3 Describe limitations to the Race Relations Act 1965

Answer 28

* Did not extend to employment and housing * Conservative amendment made discrmination in public places a 'civil misdemeanor' rather than a criminal offence * Report in 1968 made clear discrimination was still continuing

Question 29

# 5 Explain what happened to Kenyan Asians during the sixties

Answer 29

* Friction between prosperous Asian minority and Black African majority in Kenya * Black nationalists intended to expel Asian settlers at independence (Dec 1963) * British government agreed to offer British passports to Asian and White British residents in Kenya * Between Dec 1967-Feb 1968, 7k entered UK * Members of shadow cabinet e.g. Powell called for tighter restrictions

Question 30

# 4 Describe the Commonwealth Immigration Act 1968

Answer 30

* Only passport holders with ‘substantial connections’ with Britain (by virtue of birth, or their father or grandparents) would be admitted * Intended to ease strain on social services * East African immigration to Britain reduced to 6-7k * Race relations entered political grandstage

Question 31

# 5 Describe opposition to Commonwealth Immigrants Bill 1968

Answer 31

* Went further than Conservatives had proposed * Clear distinctions between Asian/British Kenyans * Subsequent impact in Uganda * Callgaghan (HS) denounced as reactionary in Labour constituencies * However, Labour able to claim moral high ground over Powell's extremism

Question 32

# 4 Describe the Race Relations Act 1968

Answer 32

* Extended unlawfullness of discrimination to housing, employment, trade unions, advertising * Enforced by Race Relations Board * Intended to close loopholes of 1965 act * Limit - only one one offender put on trial within first year of passage of Act | Trade unions were previously a hot-belly of racism

Question 33

# 4 Give examples of racial discrimination (1964-70)

Answer 33

* 1964-65, British version of KKK made brief reappearance * National Front (NF) formed in 1967 * 'Rivers of Blood' speech 1968 * 'Till Death Us Do Part' (started 1966) evocative of ethos of time

Question 34

# 2 Describe the Rivers of Blood speech

Answer 34

* Sacked from shadow cabinet within 48hrs in April 1968 * Powell gained support from dockers who marched to London

Question 35

# 4 Outline **change** in issues of immigration and racism (1964-70)

Answer 35

* Race Relations Act 1965 and 1968 * Sacking of Powell * Notting Hill Carnival, a Carribean festival, became a regular annual event from 1966 * Emergence of Chinese takeways led to new foodstuffs

Question 36

# 3 Outline **continuity** in issues of immigration and racism (1964-70)

Answer 36

* Continuation of restrictions on immigration (Commonwealth Immigration Bill 1968) * Continuation of racial discrimination * Continued political movements through National Front

Question 37

# 3 Describe the PEP report 1968

Answer 37

* 1968 Political and Economic Planning (PEP) Report into racial discrimination * It investigated six areas of the country and found that discrimination against coloured people operated on 'substantial scale' * difficult to enact change at ground level

Question 38

# 5 Describe environmentalism in the 1970s

Answer 38

* Rachel Carson's book *Silent Springs* 1962 - sounded alarm about decline of birds and linked chemical usage to cancer * increasing awareness of DDT * 1963, Hunt Saboteurs Association created to carry out DA against fox hunting * 1967, *Torrey Canyon* caused massive oil spill in SW England * 1968, campaign book *The Population Bomb* dramatised environmental threat to overpopulation