1.

Introduction (80 words)

WWI/II affected the UK and Ireland in terms of politics, society, and the economy in
the first half of the twentieth century. Here are some of the consequences:
 The Liberal Party introduced additional social services (NHS, coal
mines/railway under state control), which were viewed as an infringement
on personal freedom.
 As certain colonies requested independence, the Empire was renamed
Commonwealth (members could join UN).
 The issue of Irish independence was resolved.
 The BBC established itself as the nation's cultural representative.
 The presence of G. Orwell, William Golding, Anthony Burgess, J. R. R.
Tolkien, Doris Lessing, and others added to the period's renown.

2. UNITED KINGDOM since 1945 (872)

The four political areas are Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Monarchy with a constitution (Queen symbol of power, Parliament has power,
Prime Minister head of government). Northern Ireland is a conflict zone. Irish
Catholic nationalists (who desired secession) and Irish Protestants (who
wanted to remain). Significant historically, culturally, and economically: the US
government was modelled after the British parliament; it set trends in sports,
music, and literature (Beatles, Elton John, or Harry Potter).
2.1 Political evolution

Following WWII, the Labour government established the NHS and nationalized
several important companies. Divides over the scope of government
services/taxation resulted in a two-party system (Labour/Conservatives) in all eight
elections from 1945 to 1970, when it began to break down and the Liberal Party
emerged. The Scottish National Party (SNP) saw its first era of triumph.

After social turmoil defined by high inflation and strikes, Labours lost seats and
Margaret Thatcher, conservative was in office (1979).

In 1997, Labour Party (Tony Blair) wins. 2011: U.K. Independence Party (UKIP,
want an exit from the UE.

2.2 Social

UK was one of the victors of WWII; victory was costly in social/economic terms.
The 40s time of austerity/economic restraint and there was prosperity in the 50s.

Labour Party won the 1945 post-war election & formed the first-ever majority
government, granting independence to India (1947). Most other major overseas
colonies became independent in the late 50s/early 60s.
Immigration from Empire & Commonwealth = multicultural society, w/ traditional
denominations of Christianity, declined.

Substantial educational reform took place (increases to the school leaving age, the
introduction of the split between primary/secondary school).

Social reforms in abortion, divorce, LGBT rights, death penalty; the status of
women slowly improved.

Many cultural institutions were created: The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden,
English National Opera, The National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company,
The British Film Institute, and The National Film Theatre).

2.3 Economic

Following WWII, national reconstruction required the cooperation of different

groups (trade unions, businessmen associations, professionals: economists, etc.).
The 1940s were a time of austerity/economic restraint, leading to prosperity in the
1950s.

The early 1960s saw economic expansion with the average Briton rising visibly, but
this increased demand for imports and harmed the pound.
A declining pound meant higher interest rates = inflation; hurt exports/caused
strikes.

The economic concern of the British government then was to increase productivity
& ensure labour peace so Britain could be an exporting country, able to pay for
public expenditure at home & maintain the value of the pound. Made the decision
not to join EEC (European Economic Community) even more important (1957).
The 60s: Britain not experiencing growth like the rest of Europe. PM Macmillan
wants to join EEC in 1961 but de Gaulle vetoed (not able to join until 73).
The 70s: Discovery of North Sea oil eased some financial pressures but slowed
economic growth, rising unemployment, and escalating labour strife.
Deindustrialisation (esp. coal mining, shipbuilding & manufacturing) grew worse
after
1970 as the British economy shifted to services. London/South East maintained
prosperity (London became the leading financial centre in Europe).
The 90s: Britain move back towards the workplace as a source of identity/self-
worth,
new growth in sectors like IT.

2.4 Presence in European Union

The EU was formed in 1945 to tie Europe to prevent the countries from fostering a
great war. Despite not joining at first, Britain admired European recovery so
accepted to join the EU in 1973. It remained in the Union since 2020 when the so-
called ‘Brexit’ was officially due.

The exit process commenced following the referendum held on 23 June

2016 and Britain left the UE on January 31, 2020

Boris Johnson succeeded her as PM and was in office until 2021.

In 2021 Boris Johnson became PM, followed by Liz Truss and finally, current Raski
Maiz, who is to be the first Asian Prime Minister in the history of the UK.

3. IRELAND SINCE 1945

Capital Dublin.

Official EU language(s): Irish, English.

Parliamentary republic consisting of 26 counties. The head of government (prime

minister) appointed by president after nomination by the Lower House, head of
state (president) mostly ceremonial powers.

Parliament 2 chambers (Upper & Lower House).

Partition of Ireland divided into two self-governing polities: Northern Ireland &
Southern Ireland (3 May 1921 under the Government of Ireland Act 1920). The Act
intended for both territories to stay w/ UK, contained provisions for eventual
reunification.

Smaller Northern Ireland created with devolved govern ment, remained part of UK.

Larger Southern Ireland not recognized by most, instead recognized the self-
declared Irish Republic. Following the Anglo-Irish Treaty (1921), the territory of
Southern Ireland left the UK, became the Irish Free State, now Republic of
Ireland.

3.1 Political evo lution

10. 3.2 Social evolu tion

11. 3.3 Economic evolution

1937: Ireland declared "a sovereign, independent, demo cratic state," & renamed
Eire.
Eire neutral during WWII

1949: Republic of Ireland Act severed last link with the Commonwealth.

1951: The Anti-Partition League disbanded b/c apathy from both sides.

1950s: time of prosperity in Northern Ireland, times harsh er in Republic. Jobs few
& general depression. 1960s: Costello brought Republic into EEC, Irish economy
grew fast & exports rose by 50% but conflicts persisted over Northern Ireland &
IRA went underground to regain northern counties still ruled by Britain. Violence
between Protestants/Catholics escalated in early 1970s, and to date the fighting
has claimed more than 3,000 lives. 1972: 'Bloody Sunday': 1972 anti-Internment
rally in N. Ire land (Derry), peaceful protect broke into rioting, believing to be under
IRA attack, army killed 14 people.

Ireland emerged from WWII in better condition than most, having spared direct
involvement

Benefited from a loan under Marshal Plan: money spent on extensive

housing/slum-clearing project & campaign to eradicate tuberculosis.

60s, the Republic of Ireland has higher public revenue result ing in investment in
social infrastructure (e.g. free sec ondary education in 1968); emigration fell as
living stan dards went up by 50%.

1959-1973: Plans for economic growth incl. investment in industrial infrastructure,

dropping protective tariffs & giving tax incentives to foreign manufacturing
companies to set up in Ireland yielded economic growth of 4%/year. Attracting
foreign direct investment still a central part of Irish economic planning

70s: world energy crisis, rising inflation, budget deficit, economic crisis last
throughout 80s.

to European market).

2008: Boom dampened by property bubble & severe eco

nomic downturn

2018: Most important sectors: industry (36.5%), informa

tion and communication (12.1%), wholesale and retail

trade, transport, accommodation and food service activ

ities. Intra-EU trade accounts for 50% of Ireland's exports,

64% imports.
4. Literature since 1945

Four main trends define the evolution of post-war English Literature

1. the intensive commercialisation of the book market: small publishing

houses going through mergers, very few small houses left, more about
business/profit than literature
2. expansion of literary criticism/literary theory: brought by English university
departments
3. popularisation of audio-visual narrative media blamed for the alleged decline
of Literature): but rather than undermining, many times adaptations bring old
literature to life (e.g. Jane Austen's Emma, etc.)
4. growth of English Literature written by women & post-colonial writers: rise of
60s feminism, migrant writers from ex-colonies (what is 'English' literature
then?).

Novel Modernist writers reacted against realism & romanticism, techniques to look
at reality from new POV.

1950s interest in the present vs. nostalgia (considered phoney), look corrupt
civilization, e.g. William Golding's Lord of the Flies (1954), a story about a group
of boys who find themselves alone on a deserted island, develop rules & system
of organization but eventually become violent & brutal.

1945-60 also the introduction of fantasy novels on large scale. e.g. George
Orwell's dystopian fantasies Animal Farm (1945, story of a group of farm
animals rebel against human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals
can be equal/ free/happy) & Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949, the life of Winston
Smith, a low ranking member of 'the Party', frustrated by the omnipresent eyes of
the party & ruler

Big Brother. 'Big Brother controls every aspect of people's lives) or J. R. R.

Tolkien's trilogy The Lord of the Rings. (The Fellowship of the Ring, 1954; The Two
Towers, 1954; and The Return of the King, 1955, fight good against evil, hobbits
Frodo and Sam quest to destroy the one ring).

60s-70s, experimentalism grows: Anthony Burgess' The Clockwork Orange (1962,

near-future society w/ youth subculture of extreme violence, main character gets
jail, submits to behaviour modification technique to earn his freedom & is
conditioned to abhor violence before returning to the world & becoming the victim
of his victims).

The question also about what IS an British writer? Salman Rushdie (The Satanic
Verses, born in India), Doris Lessing (The Grass is Singing, born in Iran).
Effect of audio-visual narrative media: less memorable characters, less likelihood
of creating literary fiction, more likely to create popular fiction. But provide
comprehensive, highly critical/pessimistic of realities & fantasies that shape the
world in late 20th century.:
5. Teaching ideas

Propose CC project w/ History/Geography. Learn more about political/economic

background in those classes, use

extracts of literature to analyse social impact & changes.

Propose different activities for different levels & year

groups, adapt to curriculum contents.