Society in the 1970s: progress of feminism; the Sex Discrimination Act;…

The idea

British society in the 1970s experienced significant cultural shifts and growing activism. The progress of feminism was legally cemented by the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act and the 1970 Equal Pay Act (enforced in 1975), though workplace inequality persisted. Race and immigration remained highly contentious; the rise of the far-right National Front provoked fierce opposition from groups like the Anti-Nazi League, while the 1976 Race Relations Act attempted to tackle systemic discrimination. Youth culture became increasingly rebellious, epitomised by the emergence of the punk movement which reflected widespread economic disillusionment. Concurrently, environmentalism gained mainstream political traction, driven by the formation of the Ecology Party and direct-action campaigns by Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

What earns the marks

• Assess the practical impact of the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act and the Equal Pay Act, noting the gap between legislative progress and ongoing societal inequality.
• Analyse the polarisation surrounding race and immigration, contrasting the legislative efforts of the 1976 Race Relations Act with the electoral rise of the National Front.
• Evaluate the role of youth subcultures, particularly punk, as a reflection of the socio-economic decay and rising youth unemployment of the late 1970s.
• Trace the emergence of environmentalism as a political force, highlighting the establishment of the Ecology Party (later the Green Party) and the influence of pressure groups.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Stating that the Equal Pay Act and Sex Discrimination Act immediately ended gender inequality.

  Put it right by highlighting the persistence of the glass ceiling and unequal pay in practice.

• Treating youth culture in the 1970s as a continuation of the 1960s hippie movement.

  Put it right by contrasting 1960s optimism with the nihilism and anti-establishment anger of 1970s punk.

• Assuming environmentalism was purely a fringe movement.

  Put it right by noting the Ecology Party fielding 53 candidates in the 1979 election and the growing mainstream awareness of nuclear and ecological issues.

Exam tips

• Use specific pressure groups, such as the Anti-Nazi League or Friends of the Earth, to demonstrate the shift towards extra-parliamentary activism in the 1970s.
• Connect social developments to the broader economic context, such as how inflation and unemployment fuelled both racial tensions and youth rebellion.
• Evaluate the limitations of social legislation by contrasting the aims of the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act with the lived experiences of women in the workforce.