2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007 – The Sixties, 1964–1970 — AQA A-Level History
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2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007 – The Sixties, 1964–1970 explained
Harold Wilson’s 1964-1970 Labour governments aimed to modernise Britain, reflecting his pragmatic ideology and leadership.
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However, economic problems dominated, culminating in the 1967 devaluation of the pound. Attempts to reform industrial relations and curb trade union power via 'In Place of Strife' failed due to severe Labour divisions. Other domestic policies included liberal social reforms. Meanwhile, the late 1960s saw the beginning of the 'troubles' in Northern Ireland, requiring troop deployment. These compounding crises, alongside strikes, signalled the end of the post-war consensus and contributed to Labour's loss in the 1970 election.
Liberal reforming legislation: private members' bills and the end of capital punishment; divorce reform; the legalisation of abortion; the legalisation of homosexual relations; educational reform
The 1960s saw profound liberal reforming legislation, largely driven by Private Members' Bills rather than official government policy, though supported by Home Secretary Roy Jenkins. The Murder Act 1965 suspended and later ended capital punishment. The Divorce Reform Act 1969 allowed 'no-fault' divorce after two years of separation. The Abortion Act 1967 legalised abortion under specific medical conditions. The Sexual Offences Act 1967 decriminalised homosexual relations between consenting men over 21 in private. Educational reform saw the rapid expansion of comprehensive schools, replacing the tripartite system via Circular 10/65, alongside the creation of the Open University to widen higher education access.
Social and cultural change: the expansion of the mass media; growth in leisure activities; the impact of scientific developments; the reduction in censorship; progress towards female equality; changes in moral attitudes; youth culture and the 'permissive society'; anti-Vietnam war riots; issues of immigration and race
The 1960s saw rapid social and cultural change, driven by the expansion of mass media, notably television, and a growth in leisure activities like package holidays. Scientific developments, particularly the contraceptive pill, impacted changes in moral attitudes and progress towards female equality. The reduction in censorship, highlighted by the 1968 Theatres Act, fostered a more open culture. Youth culture flourished, contributing to the idea of a 'permissive society'. Political activism surged, evidenced by the 1968 anti-Vietnam war riots in Grosvenor Square. Furthermore, issues of immigration and race became highly contentious, marked by Enoch Powell's 1968 'Rivers of Blood' speech and the restrictive Commonwealth Immigrants Act.
Relations with and policies towards USA, particularly issue of Vietnam; response to world affairs and relations with Europe; decolonisation including 'withdrawal East of Suez' and Rhodesia.
During the 1960s, Harold Wilson’s Labour government faced complex foreign policy challenges. Relations with the USA were strained by the Vietnam War; Wilson offered moral support to President Johnson but refused to send British troops, balancing domestic anti-war sentiment with the need for American financial backing. In Europe, Britain’s changing global role prompted a second application to join the EEC in 1967, which was again vetoed by de Gaulle. Decolonisation accelerated due to economic pressures, culminating in the 1968 decision to withdraw British military forces 'East of Suez' by 1971. Concurrently, the government struggled with Rhodesia, where Ian Smith’s white minority regime declared Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in 1965, defying British attempts at negotiated settlement.
Your focus
- Evaluate the success of Wilson's economic policies, focusing on the 1967 devaluation.
- Analyse the relationship between the Labour government and trade unions, particularly regarding 'In Place of Strife'.
- Explain the factors that led to the Labour Party's defeat in the 1970 general election.
Show all 12 objectives
- Identify the key pieces of liberal reforming legislation passed between 1964 and 1970.
- Explain the role of Private Members' Bills in passing controversial social legislation.
- Assess the limitations and societal impact of the educational and moral reforms of the 1960s.
- Describe the key drivers of social and cultural change in the 1960s, including media and science.
- Analyse the extent to which Britain became a 'permissive society' during this period.
- Evaluate the impact of immigration and race relations on British society and politics in the late 1960s.
- Analyse the reasons for Wilson's refusal to commit troops to the Vietnam War.
- Evaluate the causes and consequences of the decision to withdraw military forces East of Suez.
- Explain the challenges faced by the British government in responding to the Rhodesian UDI.
2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007 – The Sixties, 1964–1970 exam tips
Marking Points
- Evaluate the extent to which Wilson's leadership and ideology successfully united the Labour Party.
- Analyse the causes of the 1967 devaluation and its political impact on the Labour government's economic credibility.
- Assess the significance of 'In Place of Strife' in highlighting the deteriorating relationship between the Labour government and trade unions.
- Explain the origins of the 'troubles' in Northern Ireland and the British government's response up to 1970.
- Discuss how economic struggles and industrial unrest contributed to the breakdown of the post-war consensus and the 1970 election defeat.
- Explain the mechanism of Private Members' Bills and Roy Jenkins' role in facilitating parliamentary time for them.
- Detail the conditions of the Abortion Act 1967, such as requiring the agreement of two doctors, and the Sexual Offences Act 1967, such as the age of consent being set at 21.
- Analyse the impact of the Divorce Reform Act 1969 on society, particularly the introduction of 'irretrievable breakdown' as grounds for divorce.
- Evaluate the shift towards comprehensive education under Anthony Crosland and the establishment of the Open University as key educational reforms.
- Assess the influence of television and print media in shaping public opinion and spreading new cultural trends.
- Evaluate the impact of the contraceptive pill on women's liberation, employment opportunities, and shifting moral attitudes.
- Analyse the tension between the emerging 'permissive society', characterised by youth culture and reduced censorship, and the conservative backlash.
- Examine the causes and consequences of racial tensions, including the impact of Enoch Powell's speech and the government's legislative responses to immigration.
- Discuss the significance of student protests and anti-Vietnam war riots as expressions of a newly politicised youth culture.
- Explain Wilson's balancing act regarding the Vietnam War, maintaining the special relationship without committing British military forces.
- Analyse the economic and political motivations behind the 1967 EEC application and the impact of de Gaulle's veto on British foreign policy.
- Evaluate the financial pressures, particularly the 1967 devaluation crisis, that forced the accelerated 'withdrawal East of Suez'.
- Assess the failure of British diplomacy, including the Tiger and Fearless talks, to resolve the Rhodesian UDI crisis.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Contrast Wilson's modernising rhetoric with the reality of his government's economic and industrial struggles.
- 💡Use 'In Place of Strife' as a key example of Labour divisions and the challenge of managing trade union power.
- 💡Connect the domestic policy challenges, such as industrial relations and economic crises, directly to the unexpected loss of the 1970 election.
- 💡Link the success of these reforms to the specific political climate and the influence of Roy Jenkins as Home Secretary.
- 💡Use specific dates and names of key MPs, such as David Steel for abortion and Leo Abse for sexual offences, to strengthen your evidence base.
- 💡Contrast the progressive nature of the legislation with the often conservative public opinion of the time to evaluate the extent of social change.
- 💡Use the concept of the 'permissive society' critically, debating whether it was a media construct or a genuine reflection of widespread social change.
- 💡Connect scientific developments, like the contraceptive pill, directly to both demographic changes and the growth of second-wave feminism.
- 💡When discussing immigration, balance the narrative of racial tension with the passing of the Race Relations Acts of 1965 and 1968 to show a nuanced understanding of government policy.
- 💡Link foreign policy decisions directly to domestic economic issues, such as how the balance of payments deficit influenced the East of Suez withdrawal.
- 💡Contrast Wilson's handling of the USA over Vietnam with previous Prime Ministers' approaches to the 'Special Relationship'.
- 💡Use the Rhodesian crisis to illustrate the limits of British imperial power and influence in the post-war era.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing devaluation with inflation or a general economic depression. Correction: Define devaluation specifically as the reduction of the pound's exchange rate against the dollar in 1967 to make exports cheaper.
- Stating that 'In Place of Strife' became law. Correction: Clarify that 'In Place of Strife' was a white paper that was abandoned due to intense opposition from trade unions and Labour MPs.
- Attributing the start of the Northern Ireland 'troubles' solely to religious differences. Correction: Explain the underlying issues of civil rights, gerrymandering, and housing discrimination against the Catholic minority.
- Claiming the Labour government officially sponsored all liberal legislation; correction: state that most were Private Members' Bills supported by individual MPs and facilitated by the Home Secretary.
- Stating that the Sexual Offences Act 1967 fully legalised homosexuality; correction: clarify that it only decriminalised homosexual acts between two consenting men over 21 in private, leaving many restrictions in place.
- Asserting that capital punishment was permanently abolished in 1965; correction: note that the 1965 Act suspended it for five years, and it was permanently abolished by a subsequent vote in 1969.
- Assuming the 'permissive society' affected all demographics equally; correction: acknowledge that changes in moral attitudes were largely concentrated among the youth and in urban areas, while many older or rural citizens remained conservative.
- Stating that the 1960s achieved full female equality; correction: note that while progress was made, such as the introduction of the pill and the 1970 Equal Pay Act, significant inequalities in pay and societal expectations persisted.
- Confusing the timeline of immigration legislation; correction: distinguish between the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act passed by the Conservatives and the 1968 Act passed by Labour which tightened controls further.
- Claiming Britain sent combat troops to Vietnam; correction: Britain provided diplomatic support but Wilson explicitly refused to send military forces.
- Confusing the 1961 and 1967 EEC applications; correction: Macmillan made the first application in 1961, whereas Wilson made the second application in 1967.
- Stating that the 'withdrawal East of Suez' was purely a strategic choice; correction: the withdrawal was primarily driven by severe economic constraints and the need to reduce defence spending.