Section 2 - Social + Cultural Developments

• Living standards rose for all sectors of society during the 1950s.
• The 1950s was an age of consumerism which was fuelled by credit.
• Many items were bought through hire purchases which were a deposit with weekly payments
• Car ownership grew from 3 million to 7 million.
• Many people could now afford domestic appliances such as vacuums, washing machines, cookers and refrigerators.
• National television was developed and 13 million sets were bought from 1951 to 1963.
• TV revolutionised people's social lives to stay at home.
• The 1950s was seen as a regressive age for women with many women being tied to childcare as their primary duty.
• Career opportunities for women were limited but some professional women became nurses, teachers or office workers.
• The pay difference between men and women in the 1950s was 40%.
• The Civil Service introduced equal pay in 1958.
• Women had low expectations in schools and were made to concentrate on the domestic sciences.
• 2% of women went to university in the 1950s.
• Maureen Nicol introduced the National Housewives Register in 1958 to bring women closer together.
• Dora Russell organised a peace caravan which acted as a model for women that sought more than domesticity.
• Britain was dominated by class and the Conservative government composed of privileged males.
• WW2 levelled out society and engendered the idea of "all being in it together".
• The welfare state and NHS led to improvements in wellbeing which raised the expectations of the less well-off.
• Growing affluence and improved living standards reduced class divisions.
• Satire and scandals encouraged a decline in deference.
• Growth in television was one of the biggest government developments.
• BBC had a monopoly of radio and TV until commercial television was introduced in 1955.
• Programmes on commercial television were financed through advertising.
• TV was designed for escapism and entertainment with high quality dramas being the most popular genre.
• Kitchen sink realism was a new cultural movement that was introduced in the 1950s which reflected on tensions in society.
• Some playwrights were dubbed as "angry young men" with John Osborne being an example.
• Coronation Street adapted kitchen sink realism when it first aired in 1960.