Society in transition, 1918–79 — Edexcel A-Level History
Verified courseTeaching note checked against the official specification.
Society in transition, 1918–79 explained
Society in transition, 1918–79 covers 3 specification points, including Class, social change and the impact of wars,… and The right to vote and political advancement,….
Read the full explanation
Open a point below for its explanation and revision guidance.
Class and social values: class, social change and the impact of wars, 1918–51; the emergence of the ‘liberal society’, and its opponents, 1951–79.
This topic examines how class and social values changed in Britain from 1918 to 1979. From 1918 to 1951, the two world wars disrupted class structures: conscription and labour shortages drew women into industry, while evacuation and rationing exposed poverty. The interwar years saw limited social mobility, but the Second World War led to the 1942 Beveridge Report and the 1945 Labour government’s welfare state, including the NHS. After 1951, affluence, consumerism and youth culture produced a ‘liberal society’ – permissive legislation on abortion, homosexuality and divorce – but this was contested by moral conservatives, religious groups and those who felt traditional values were under threat. Students should analyse continuity and change, and assess how far wars and government policy reshaped class and social values.
The changing role and status of women: the right to vote and political advancement, 1918–79; changes in family life and the quest for personal freedoms, 1918–79.
This topic examines how women’s role and status changed in Britain from 1918 to 1979. In 1918, the Representation of the People Act enfranchised women over 30 meeting a property qualification; the 1928 Equal Franchise Act extended it to all women over 21. Political advancement continued with Constance Markievicz elected as the first female MP in 1918, and Nancy Astor becoming the first to take her seat in 1919. In family life, experiences changed through smaller families, rising divorce and more married women in paid work after 1945. The quest for personal freedoms included campaigns for equal pay, reproductive rights and the 1967 Abortion Act. Assess how far these changes improved women’s status or were limited by persistent inequality.
Race and immigration: immigration policies and attitudes towards ethnic minorities, 1918–39; the impact of the Second World War and new Commonwealth immigration; racial controversy and the impact of government policies on race relations and immigration, 1958–79.
This topic examines how migration and race shaped British society. From 1918–39, immigration policies restricted entry, notably the 1919 Aliens Act and 1925 Special Restriction (Coloured Alien Seamen) Order, while attitudes often excluded ethnic minorities. The Second World War brought labour shortages and new Commonwealth immigration. Post-war governments introduced strict controls: the 1962 and 1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Acts, and the Immigration Act 1971. Racial controversy peaked with the 1958 Notting Hill riots and Powell's 1968 'Rivers of Blood' speech. Government policies such as the 1965 and 1968 Race Relations Acts sought to improve race relations and outlaw discrimination, though enforcement was often limited.
Your focus
- Explain how the First and Second World Wars affected class and social values in Britain between 1918 and 1951.
- Analyse the emergence of the ‘liberal society’ after 1951 and the reasons for permissive legislation.
- Evaluate the arguments and effectiveness of opponents of the ‘liberal society’ between 1951 and 1979.
Show all 10 objectives
- Reach a substantiated judgement on the extent to which class and social values changed across the period.
- Explain the key stages in women’s political advancement from 1918 to 1979, including the 1918 and 1928 franchise acts.
- Analyse changes in family life and the quest for personal freedoms for women between 1918 and 1979.
- Evaluate the extent to which women’s role and status improved across the period, considering political, social and economic factors.
- Describe key immigration policies and attitudes towards ethnic minorities from 1918 to 1939.
- Explain the impact of the Second World War and new Commonwealth immigration on British society.
- Evaluate the impact of racial controversy and government policies on race relations and immigration between 1958 and 1979.
Society in transition, 1918–79 flashcards
Card 1 of 10
Class
Society in transition, 1918–79 exam tips
Marking Points
- Explains how the First World War affected class and social values, for example through full employment, higher wages for some workers, and the dilution of skilled labour, leading to expectations of a ‘land fit for heroes’.
- Analyses the impact of the Second World War on class and social values, including evacuation, the Blitz, rationing and the Beveridge Report, which increased support for collective welfare provision.
- Assesses the extent to which the post-1945 welfare state and full employment reduced class divisions, for example through the NHS, council housing and secondary education for all.
- Explains the emergence of the ‘liberal society’ after 1951, including permissive legislation such as the 1967 Abortion Act and the 1967 Sexual Offences Act, and changing attitudes to authority and tradition.
- Evaluates the opponents of the ‘liberal society’, such as Mary Whitehouse and the National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association, religious leaders, and conservative politicians who campaigned against permissiveness.
- Judges how far social change 1918–79 was driven by war, affluence, or government action, and reaches a substantiated overall judgement on the nature and extent of change.
- Explains the significance of the 1918 Representation of the People Act and the 1928 Equal Franchise Act for women’s political rights, including the property and age qualifications in 1918.
- Assesses the extent of women’s political advancement 1918–79, for example through the first female MPs (Markievicz and Astor), the appointment of women to government posts, and the election of Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister in 1979.
- Analyses changes in family life, including declining birth rates, the availability of contraception, rising divorce rates, and the increasing number of married women in paid employment after 1945.
- Explains the quest for personal freedoms, including campaigns for equal pay, the 1967 Abortion Act, and the women’s liberation movement of the late 1960s and 1970s.
- Evaluates the limitations on women’s role and status, such as unequal pay, the marriage bar in some professions, and the persistence of domestic expectations.
- Explains how 1918–39 immigration policies restricted entry and reflected hostile attitudes towards ethnic minorities, using the 1919 Aliens Act and 1925 Special Restriction Order.
- Assesses the impact of the Second World War and the subsequent arrival of new Commonwealth immigration.
- Analyses how racial controversy and public pressure led to restrictive immigration policies, specifically the 1962 and 1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Acts and the Immigration Act 1971.
- Evaluates the significance of racial controversy, including the 1958 Notting Hill riots and Powell's 1968 speech, in shaping public attitudes and political debate.
- Examines the impact and limitations of government policies on race relations, such as the 1965 and 1968 Race Relations Acts, in addressing discrimination.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Plan essays around clear criteria for measuring change, such as legislation, public opinion, class mobility and regional variation, and use them consistently to reach a judgement.
- 💡Use specific evidence with dates and names, for example the 1942 Beveridge Report, the 1948 NHS, the 1967 Abortion Act, and the 1967 Sexual Offences Act, to support each argument.
- 💡Address both parts of the chronology – 1918–51 and 1951–79 – and explicitly compare the impact of wars with other factors such as affluence and government policy.
- 💡When discussing opponents of the ‘liberal society’, explain their arguments and assess their effectiveness rather than simply listing them.
- 💡Use precise dates and legislation, such as 1918, 1928, 1967 and 1970, to anchor arguments about political and social change.
- 💡Compare the experiences of different groups of women, for example middle-class and working-class women, to show depth of understanding.
- 💡Use specific legislation and events to illustrate continuity and change in immigration policies and attitudes towards ethnic minorities.
- 💡Link racial controversy directly to the impact of government policies, showing how restriction and integration measures evolved together.
Common Mistakes
- Treating the ‘liberal society’ as universally accepted; correction: recognise that permissive reforms often passed with significant opposition and that attitudes varied by region, generation and class.
- Assuming that the Second World War alone caused the welfare state; correction: explain that the Beveridge Report, wartime collectivism and the 1945 Labour victory were all important, and that pre-war poverty surveys also shaped policy.
- Confusing class change with social change; correction: define class in terms of occupation, income and status, and distinguish it from broader social values such as attitudes to marriage, religion and authority.
- Overstating the impact of permissive legislation on everyday behaviour; correction: note that laws such as the 1967 Abortion Act and 1967 Sexual Offences Act changed legal rights but did not immediately transform social attitudes across all groups.
- Assuming that the 1918 Representation of the People Act gave all women the vote; correction: explain that it enfranchised women over 30 who met a property qualification, and that equal franchise came in 1928.
- Stating Nancy Astor was the first elected female MP; correction: note that Constance Markievicz was elected in 1918 but did not take her seat, while Astor was the first to take her seat in 1919.
- Treating the 1967 Abortion Act as granting abortion on demand; correction: note that it legalised abortion under specified conditions, such as risk to the woman’s health, and required medical approval.
- Confusing the women’s liberation movement with earlier suffrage campaigns; correction: distinguish the late 1960s and 1970s movement, which focused on personal freedoms and equality, from the pre-1918 suffrage societies.
- Error: Treating the 1948 British Nationality Act as an immigration control. Correction: It granted citizenship to Commonwealth citizens, facilitating entry; controls came later.
- Error: Assuming the 1965 Race Relations Act outlawed all racial discrimination. Correction: It covered public places but excluded housing and employment, which were addressed in 1968.
- Error: Referring to the 1971 legislation as the Commonwealth Immigrants Act. Correction: Use the correct statutory title, the Immigration Act 1971.