Arguments Pro social Revolution: ✅
What is the basis of claims that there was a social revolution in the 60s :
Historian Marwick placed the social revolution in a specific timeline : 1958-1973 (beginning of 70s = end of Post war boom).

The characteristics of a new era (16 total)

• Rebellious time : opposition to a former organization (characteristics of a revolution), formation of new subcultures.

  
  

• Individualism = promoting free rights and liberty of action as well as independence of an individual.

  
  
  

*emergence of youth culture (better access to education, given more importance, given a voice, rebellious, protests, activists and constitute a market to themselves with music, magazines etc..)

• Mass air travel --> and other technological advances: television which most people had thanks to economic growth which increased productivity therefore, living standards.

  
  

• More tourism/International cultural exchange (reminder that Britain became a multicultural society).

  
  

• Multiculturalism --> recognition of ethnic diversity: even though it was hard to accept : Powell (as mentioned after the war there was different type of immigration that led to a lot of discrimination yet it did bring new traditions and cooking habits to Britain thus changing the social order.

  
  
  

*development of the consumer's society, better supply

• Segregation (concern emerged from the civil rights movement), issues with families and class.

  
  

• Revolution in Elite culture, music and literature.

  
  

• Liberal tolerance

  
  

• Conservative backlash from older generations (unhappy angry people, they felt threatened by change)

  
  
  
  

• Sexual liberation, permissiveness,legislation : divorce, and abortion

  
  

• Women: access to better jobs and pay their rights were protected better.

  
  
  
  

• Rock music : international language

  
  

• 1979 very conservative Prime minister = Thatcher people voted for her for economic reasons mostly (after all the failures on Labour's behalf)

  
  

  she had Victorian values --> evidence of political setback. We can assume that people also voted for her because they disagreed with changes.The people who voted extreme right conservatives because they were unhappy with the social changes serves as evidence that there was in fact changes.

  
  

  : because for people to be unhappy this means that there had been changes. However this is too speculative because we know Thatcher was not all that popular and that she was elected for economic reasons. Thatcher did not turn back the clock, Britain did not become like the 50s during the 80s when she was in power. In fact she didn't even touch any of the long term. Some things did not survive the 60s and 70s --> drug use were not so trendy and the sex revolution had died out --> it was more a phase of exploration and trends not relevant to display in social revolution because it was very temporary ---> though they did not vanish completely they were no longer part of the dominant society.

  
  
  

Trying to sum up the most significant changes in society :

• Television :people could observe change
• popular music rebellious universal language
  -mass tourism and better loving standards e.g. car ownership --> enhanced change.
  

Women --> how did their lives change in the 60s, all the things they couldn't and can do now, jobs education there has been an evolution in their roles but this was a continuous process that WWII helped to accelerate. They were granted financial independence (did not need to rely on their husbands and had access to jobs) they were also protected by legislation from conjugal violence and harassment --> they were more important and benefitted society differently than looking after men. This protective system for women helped them especially regarding abuse, they could divorce a violent husband which was a positive change in their lives, they lived better lives. As previously mentioned the changes had taken place before already --> began in the 18th century. movements for equal rights and riots --> suffragettes came later beginning of 20th century so slow change. No matter the progress made it remains an issue having riots, laws and legislation has not solved all the problems permanently. --> there is right to vote, right to education and access any kind of job, equal pay act legislation passed --> the importance and need for change.

Immigration: something that undeniably impacted British society + - Britain hadn't had much immigrants in a while so legislation had to be passed (some groups of people felt threatened by these new arrivals). They changed throughout time e.g. immigrants in the 19th century were mostly European but that was no longer the case in the 60s. migrants looked physically different and stood out they a complete no culture and new cooking. strong reaction from the locals --> rejection riots and violence. conservatives passed legislation to stop discrimination and Labour passed 3 --> society was impacted. Britain became multicultural. Politicians used the issues with immigrants for political gain Powell "River of blood" speech, he was opposed to migrants from the commonwealth and against a multicultural society (he was a conservative.

Further information about Immigration. immigration before the war mostly coming from Eastern Europe the reasons were often religious. in the 16th century some French protestants migrated to Britain because of Catholic persecution. Irish laborers ,looking for abetter life migrated as well (internal migration however). European jews fleeing from Russia and Poland. Urban areas : a lot of discrimination towards migrants (reminder: they were not all that exotic til after the war). --> complaints about cultural differences, that the immigrants were overcrowding areas and increased the price of rent. Conservatives acted on this issue with the "Alien Act" in 1905: meant to limit to the entry of those that were financially self supportive and also to keep out. The reason for the conservatives to act upon the situation about migrants was to earn votes from the working class (financially more affected ?).
In 1919 --> other Alien Act: after the war, the rules tightened: immigrants needed a work permit before entering the country, deported if they caused trouble and register with the authority. 30s a lot Jews immigrating from Germany because of Nazi regime--> their number increased fast in 9 years (300,000). These immigrants however had been carefully selected according, to political ideas, wealth and skills (reminder of the selection when Germany was divided) they made valuable contribution during the war effort. Even though a lot of jewish immigrants were accepted there was still some anti Jewish feeling, like for any other type of migrants due to the belief that they were overcrowding, causing further unemployment (+ Taking jobs away from local people and poor housing.

This point of view is biased however because the dire economic situation (a lot of unemployment) during the interwar years was mostly due to the Great Depression rather than immigration and though Britain had acts passed, controlling the influx of migrants into their territory a lot of britons emigrated to the US, Canada or Australia (more Britons moved out rather than newcomers moved in).

After the war : full employment and a labour shortage so the Labour gov. recruited "displaced persons" (some lived in displacement camps in Europe) : from the Balkans and East Europe: Poles, Latvians, Estonians etc and also Belgians and Italians --> people who were forced out of their homelands (conflict: Result of WWII). Some were in camps and others had succeeded in coming to Britain and just stayed.
They were very helpful in the process of reconstruction. The Attlee government passed the Nationality act allowing all members of the Commonwealth to enter Britain : A lot of West Indians joined and Jamaicans too. They commonly worked as doctors or nurses for the new NHS (remember chapter on consensus) or as public transport workers. More advertisement for members of the commonwealth like India and Pakistan (workers in textile industries) to come and work in England, since Labour shortage continued in the 50s --> migrants worked in firm and businesses. 30,000 migrants came to England each year on average.
There was a lot of immigration in the 60s, it increased fast and considerably. This was due to rumors that the government was planning on restricting immigration. In the 70s there was much less immigration. 1971: 2 million non whites living in Britain.
2/ 3 came from the Commonwealth and the rest were non whites born in Britain (yet it was a very tiny proportion).

Restriction of immigration : gov:
received w/ hostility , they were blames for shortage of jobs and housing. Issues related to race--> Liverpool + Birmingham protest against blacks. There was concern on the gov.'s behalf that the immigrants were going to take too many jobs and if their was a high rate of unemployment among immigrants this meant a lot of expenses for government so they cut the influx, reduced immigration considerably.

The different acts: Macmillan in 62: Commonwealth Immigrants Act restricting the n° of immigrants tolerated in England, they could enter the country if they had family there already if they had skills that would benefit the nation or evidence that they already had a job to come to--> this act was necessary due to building up tensions between communities yet it w-was heavily criticized by Labour and the Liberal party: it was seen as racist because there was no restriction for immigrants outside of the commonwealth.
Even though Labour was against the Act Wilson tightened the restrictions because thats what the population wanted. some communities were forced to move out in 68 Asians forced out of Kenya had to move to Canada etc... Because Britain was trying to recur the immigration coming from West Africa.

Powell's "rivers of blood" speech, both political parties supported the CI Act passed by Parliament during the Crisis with the Kenyan Asians. Powell go in trouble for this speech --> sacked by then PM, Heath, demonstration in airports supporting Powell.
conservative elections in the 70s helped by the slogan "keep Britain White"

Edward Heath Immigration Act in 1971 passed --> limited entry to people from the commonwealth (supposed to be opposed to it ???). Those who failed to prove they had close relations w/ people in Britain. they couldn't bring people form their own family. The gov. did make exceptions on humanitarian grounds. e.g. When asians expelled from Uganda, 29,000 accepted in Britain despite Powell's opposition --> resigned and left the Party.

Thatcher in 1980 had a Nationality Act: New requirements for British citizenship. Being born not enough, need evidence that family member= British. Today Britain is the strictest country in the EU concerning immigration.

Race Relations: Not comparable to the US in terms of anger and violence (though there was some tension and violence but mostly shortly before and after the war --> anti black riots).
All immigrants had civil rights. There was still racism : some refused to grant them jobs/ houses others refused to serve non-white customers. Whites felt threatened because less and less Jobs and houses : more hostility. Tense Relation w/ the police.
Contrasting interpretations: gov. limited immigration people saw it as a way to protect the population whereas the gov. was trying to prevent discrimination. TU N° 1 complainers about Black taking their jobs.
Black and Asian immigrants triggered a lot of resentment in cities-->streets white and colored workers were sharing. The 1st immigrants who arrived between 1945 and 1960 were well integrated (mostly from Europe not too culturally different) --> non White immigrants were targeted instead.
A lot of violence the Notting Hill (1958) being the most memorable one --> 140 arrests and the government seemed more kind to the non-Whites and promoted racial harmony --> things went from bad to worse leading to important restrictions.