BRITISH CULTURE

■ Since the 1950s, Britain has experienced a

period of social and cultural change due to the
disintegration of the Empire, the expansion of
the Commonwealth of Nations, and the
immigration of people of many nationalities,
languages and cultures.
 One of the events that
caused the biggest change
was the Women's
Movement. The increasing
independence of women, it
has caused changes in both
male relations and youth.
■ Between 1948 and 1978, the influence of feminism
and youth was felt in art. Because governments have
funded arts councils to encourage different ideas.

■ State subsidies for the arts were replaced after 1979 by

a culture of individualism and marketplace value. Art
began to be seen as a work, and games, films, and
exhibitions were seen as products.
■ During the Second World War (1939-
1945) women worked in the fields and
factories but the government supported
them to be housewives. Thus, birth
rates increased and large families
became fashionable.
■ At the same time, due to disagreement
and unhappiness, divorces increased 4
times in 1950.
■ In 1957, one-third of women wanted to
return to work, despite a low salary.
■ After the post-war population
growth, the middle age
decreased in the 1950s, and in
1959 the population between 13
and 25 years old increased.
■ Businesses started to market
products to young people who
want to create their own.
■ Thus, trendy clothes, hairstyles
and records were among the
most popular items.
■ Coffee bars and music bars
were opened. Thus, meeting
places for entertainment were
provided.
Gondola Coffee Bar, Wigmore Street, 1955, designed by Helen Low
 The rate of guilt increased in people under the
age of 21. There were over 45,000 criminals in
1959, up from 24,000 in 1955.

 Increasing crime rates were blamed for

television content and obscene lyrics of
rock'n'roll music.
■ The most important change
among the younger generation
is the 'Teddy Boys' gang, the
working-class gang that
emerged in 1953.
■ They are said to wear these
gang-colored suits and are
threatening and brutal.
■ In addition, they frequently
appeared in newspapers with
violent issues.
Teddy Boys seen here at the Thirteen
Canteen, Elephant and Castle, London, 1955.
Birmingham Daily Post | 20 June 1957

The Sphere | 27 February 1960

 Art in the 1950s
 Social issues such as crime,
punishment, poverty, and racism
have started to be told in art. In
addition, topics such as criticizing
the opposition were included in
the arts.

 In literature, theater, and film,

new writers have realistically
reflected the experiences of the
working class.
Political propaganda: Atomic War, 1950s; America under Socialism, 1950s
■ Millions of realistic dramas and
reports were featured on
television.
■ The problems of ordinary people
were dealt with on stage, novels
and canvas instead of the lives of
well-educated or wealthy people.
■ Clean, cool, minimal forms,
remarkable decoration, purity of
rational design were
demonstrated in the architecture.
■ These new movements were
publicly underestimate.
 1960’s
■ In the 1950s, electronic devices such as televisions, radios became cheap
and widely available.
■ In 1960, any electronic devices began to be found in most homes.
■ Interest in television shows, music, and movies grew.
■ Interest in novels, women's magazines, newspapers increased, thus
production of novels, magazines, newspapers were increased.
■ But some commentators thought that movies and music made only for
profit, could lower the art standards.
■ Matthew Arnold and T.S. Eliot, F.R. Leavis believed
that great works of art carried a moral, civilizing
message, educational, and a tool for personal growth.
■ But mass-produced music, art, and popular
entertainment could not do this and only encouraged
individuality, laziness, and downfall.
■ Most of the cultural innovators of the period
were young musicians. They often came from
provincial towns and spoke with regional
accents.
■ Formal education was been rare, but people had
the abilities and charisma to draw attention.
■ In 1960s, The Beatles and Rolling Stones were
discovered and marketed to a young audience.
■ While The Beatles often wrote songs using
unofficial slang for their young fans, the Rolling
Stones were more influenced by black American
blues singers.
■ They were highly influential and many other
groups copied their style.
 In the 1960s, ready-made
clothing appeared in bold new
styles.

 Mixing and matching of earlier-

period clothes have become
common.

 The skinny model known as

Twiggy who is named Dame
Lesley Lawson became iconic
as both a thin and attractive girl.
■ In the 1960s, Pop art, modernist and plug-
in architecture, swinging London Films
were symbols.
■ James Bond, George Best, The Avengers,
The Beatles, and Stones are the trendiest
figures.
■ In the 1960s, some young people rejected consumerism and
entered the underground culture.
■ Magazines such as Black Dwarf and International Times
provided information on lifestyles and alternative politics.
■ The expansion of higher education has caused many young
people to think critically about politics and society, and interest
in topics such as sociology has increased.
■ In the late 1960s and 1970s nonprofit cooperatives
emerged in the arts, theater, film, writing, and music.
■ Topics such as racism, women's freedom, and
homosexual rights were explained with art in this way.
 1970’s
■ In the 1970s, many universities were
opened with women's studies
departments.
■ Language, literature and history
departments developed feminist
perspectives. University of Kent, 1970s

 Women's writing became an established literary

genre, and publishing houses were opened
supporting women writers such as Virago.

 New non-commercial "underground" magazines

such as The Shrew and Spare Rib have published
women's freedom.
News story about the Shrew magazine
trial of Peter Sutcliffe October 1970
 In television shows such as Till Death Us Do Part and
Love Thy Neighbor, black people were often the target
of racial jokes in the most popular shows of the 1960s
and 1970s.
■ While television shows offered dramas, they became
softer in the 1970s. Instead of challenging the
audience, it was intended to comfort and reassure
them.
■ Historical adaptations and sitcoms were among the
most popular programs.
 1980’s
 In the early 1980s, due to economic and social conditions, Art began to be viewed as
a business.
 For the first time in the 1980s, many museums and galleries started to charge
entrance fees.
 On television, all channels, including the BBC, began to compete in the commercial
world.
 During a short period of eighteen months, television programs changed.

■ Broadcasts previously started in the early afternoon, but

in 1983 the BBC and ITV began broadcasting from dawn.
■ Channel 4 began broadcasting on the privately-owned
Sky television channel in 1984.
■ Sky promoted satellite television in Britain and dish
antenna was used on the exterior wall for many
households.
■ In the early 1980s, TV shows like
Brideshead Revisited and The Jewel
in the Crown were the most popular.
■ Edge of Darkness and The
Monocled Mutineer were bold, and
highly praised series that compared
the government's view of nuclear
conflict and war with the realities of
life.
■ Channel 4 started sponsoring
critical films such as My Beautiful
Laundry and Letter to Brezhnev,
which express their opposition to
the loss of tolerance and liberal
values.
■ There was little progress in architecture
in the early 1980s.

■ There was an accelerated growth period

with the removal of credit restrictions. Map showing the London docks in 1882. The
King George V Dock had not yet been built

■ The new high-tech office blocks are

built in a trendy post-modern style.

■ One of the most notable developments

was Docklands in East London, where Docklands in East London

fascinating, futuristic buildings declared

a developing economy.
 1990’s
■ Divorce rates continued to rise. About 40 percent of marriages ended in
divorce in 1994

■ Compared to ten years ago, the gay community has emerged as another
important minority group. In 1999, programs specifically for gay
audiences were created on BBC2, Channel 4 and Radio 5.

■ There were several newspapers for the gay community, and many
bookstores carried a large selection of gay literature.

■ With the increasing understanding and acceptance of homosexuals and

lesbians, more and more 'appeared' and publicized their homosexuality.
 QUESTIONS

■ 1- In 1959, there was an increase in the population between the ages of 45 and 50.

TRUE FALSE

■ 2- Television and rock'n'roll music was blamed for rising crime rates.

TRUE FALSE
■ 3- The Teddy Boys gang attracted attention with their black suits.

TRUE FALSE

■ 4-Television was not widespread in 1960.

TRUE FALSE

■ 5-Twiggy was named as a skinny model in the 1960s.

TRUE FALSE