THE 1960s

1. THE 1960s

2. The late 1950s Worldwide process of decolonization after the war which gainedmomentum in the 1950s Britain granted independence to all of its major colonies Uprisings in India, Gandhi’s successful social movements Ghana began the wave of British decolonization in Africa nearly every British territory is granted independence in the following decade. 1956: Britain’sinvolvement in the Suez Canal Crisis Nostalgia for the lost empire in the 60s. In 1960 the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Harold Macmillan, delivered a famous speech known as the “Wind of Change:” “One of the constant facts of political life in Europe has been the emergence of independent nations… Especially since the end of war, the processes which gave birth to the nation-states of Europe have been repeated all over the world…  Fifteen years ago this movement spread through Asia. Many countries there, of different races and civilization, pressed their claim to an independent national life. To-day the same thing is happening in Africa… In different places it may take different forms, but it is happening everywhere. The wind of change is blowing through the continent… Whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact. We must all accept it as a fact.”

3. The Conservative government 1957-1964 1959: comfortablevictory 1962: major cabinet reshuffle 1963: Profumoaffair 1963: first attempt to join the European Common Marketrebuffed by De Gaulle 1965: HousingAct the Conservatives cut taxes whilst continuing to develop the social services (including the provision of two million homes and almost two million new school places) They stabilised the cost of living while maintaining full employment The election slogan ‘Life is better under the Conservatives’ and Macmillan’s ‘You’ve never had it so good’ speech of 1957 reinforced the message In contrast the Labour Party was divided over the way forward and over Clause 4 and nuclear disarmament

4. Triumph of the Consumer Society Fallingbirth rate smallerhouseholds more consumption (cars, houses, leisure) for middle and working class families Higherwages Shorterworkinghours « economics of abundance » Consumer goods are more affordable and available YET: Slow rates of growth Fallingproductivity Deepinequalities Class divisions

5. Richard Hamilton's collage Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing? (1956) is one of the earliest works to be considered "pop art".

6. Peter Blake

7. Rise of Pop culture Expansion of the mass media (the spread of youth fashion, music and the popularity of The Beatles, TV pop music programme, Juke Box Jury) Advent of the ‘permissive society’: drinks, drugswereavailable; skirtswereshorter; sexualrestraintwaslessprevalent; the development of technology including new consumer goods, colour TVs and the contraceptive pill; changes in the legal framework, particularly the reduction in censorship and new liberalising legislation New universitiessprang up the spread of TVs/transistor radios offering the possibility for ‘personal’ leisure interests, spreading crazes and setting standards the growing cult of celebrity – spread through magazines, the press as well as TV/radio the spread of advertising and marketing the encouragement to question norms, through television and magazines

8. Harold MacMillan 1951 - 1954 Macmillan served as minister of housing, and minister of defence, foreign secretary and chancellor of the exchequer. 1957 After the Suez debacle, he succeeded Anthony Eden 1959 won the general election, improved relations between Britain and the USA. economic difficulties: 1962, the government's unpopularity led Macmillan to dismiss six cabinet members ('night of the long knives‘). 1963 John Profumo scandal and resignation weakens the government His patrician, Edwardian style increasingly seemed to sit awkwardly with a more modern form of politics, represented by Labour under Harold Wilson, who came to power in 1964.

9. The end of the Establishment? Conservative cabinets had been dominated by public school/Oxbridge educated politicians that suggested ‘aristocratic’ dominance. Sir Alec Douglas-Home (PM from 1963) was nicknamed the ‘14th earl’ whose cabinet contained 10 Etonians Forward thinkers as well as playrights, (the ‘Angry Young Men’), novelists and satirists suggested the nation was being held back by the outdated morality of its ruling elite Since 1960 the BBC was no longer a prop of the Establishment and ‘That Was The Week That Was’ (1962–1963) won public acclaim with its satirical ‘anti-establishment’ offerings The ‘Establishment’ was charged with refusing to face up to Britain’s position as a declining world power and having a negative effect on Britain’s industrial position, putting a snobbish class emphasis on arts education in preference to science and blocking the advance of talent

10. Harold Wilson’spremiership 1966-70 Euphoriaafter the elections BUT 1966 Strike of the seamen Recession and wagefreeze 1967: devaluation of the pound Inflation on the rise Protestagainst the Viet-NamWar Student rebellions Nationalistprotests in Wales and Scotland (promotion of the Welshlanguage, anti-English mood) Civil right movemement in Ireland: troops are moved to Belfast and Londonderry

11. Enoch Powell’s Rivers of Blood speech, April 1968, causes marches and riots A ‘ghetto’ society was emerging as immigrants settled in the poorer parts of the towns particularly in London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. This posed welfare and other problems Concern centred on the type of immigrants. New Commonwealth immigrants were ‘coloured’. Racial prejudice grew and they were the target of some violence 1958 race riots in Notting Hill in London

12. 1970s: Edward Heath government Collective industrial disputes: 1972 Miners’ strike Declining living standards following the 1973 oilcrisis Dramaticallyhigh inflation Fall of the birth rate (1975-78) Rash of discontent 1978-79.