20th Century England

Liberal reforms

At the start of the 20th century about 15% to 20% of the population lived at subsistence level with 8%-10% living below this. However living standards improved after several reforms were brought about by a Liberal government elected in 1906.

1906- Local councils were allowed to provide school meals free of charge.

1907 - School medical inspections were introduced.

1908 - An act restricted miners to working only 8 hours a day. An Old Age Pensions Act was initiated, which paid pensions to people over 70. The age limit was lowered in later years and widows were also given a pension.

1909 - The Trade Boards act set minimum wages in some of the trades that were at the time very low paid. Labor exchanges were set up to help the unemployed find employment.

1911 - The National Insurance Act was passed, wherein employers and employees who contributed to a fund were then entitled to free treatment by a doctor when they were ill.

1912- Shop workers who were forced to work all day on Saturdays were given a compensatory half day off during on any week day.

The Suffragettes

In 1897 a moderate organization called the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) was formed by groups of women who demanded the right to vote.

In 1903 a more radical organization called the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was formed. Led by Emmeline Pankhurst, the organization finally achieved its agenda in 1918, when women above 30 years were permitted to vote. Over the years women were allowed to stand for elections, sit on juries and also become lawyers and magistrates.

Socialism

A minority government when it was first established Labor finally won an overall majority in parliament only in 1945. Towards the close of the 20th century the Labor Party considered socialism a failure and discarded it.

The First World War

4th August 1914 - Britain declared war on Germany and sent an expeditionary force to France. With both sides attacking and defending equally, the war became a stalemate.

1916 - British unleashed their secret weapon- the tank- during an attack on the Somme.

1917 - Germany commenced unrestricted submarine warfare wherein they sank ships from any country that attempted to help Britain resulting in an acute food shortage in the country and a rationing of butter, cheese and meat.

11th November 1918 - The Germans finally signed an armistice or cease-fire with Britain.

Trade Unions and the General Strike

Trade unions became increasing powerful and militant in the early 20th century. When the employees' wages were cut due to a decline in coal mining, the miners went on strike. Several other unions supported them resulting in a general strike that lasted 9 days from 3rd May 1926. The miners returned to work after 6 months; defeated.

The Trade Disputes Act passed in 1927 declared all general strikes illegal.

Entertainment

The BBC commenced broadcasting radio programs in 1922 and by 1939 most households in Britain had a 'wireless' set. Television was introduced in 1936 and cinema-going became increasingly popular during the same time.

The Depression

The world plunged into a acute economic recession in 1929 and traditional industries such as coal mining and textiles were severely affected. Although unemployment was high in the North of England, which remained depressed even in the late 1930s; new industries including electronics and car and aircraft making brought prosperity in the South of England and the Midlands. Unemployment was also lower.

Living standards improved significantly in the 1930s and life became steadily more comfortable. From 1939 all workers were entitled to a minimum of 1 week's annual paid vacation.

World War II

Starting with petrol in 1939, most other commodities were eventually rationed including sugar, butter, ham, bacon, tea, cheese, eggs, clothes and sweets. Agriculture began being promoted in a big way and by 1945 about 18 million acres of land was under cultivation as opposed to 12 million acres in 1939.

The Germans commenced bombing London on 7th September 1940 and by 1st January 1941 more than 13,000 Londoners were killed. Other cities that were also heavily bombed included Plymouth, Portsmouth, Bristol, Coventry and Birmingham.

In 1944 the Germans unleashed a secret weapon; a type of rocket called a VI flying bomb. A few months later they launched the V2 rockets. Despite strafing England with 1,115 V2s in a span of about a year, the German bombing failed to have a negative effect either on British morale or on the industrial output.

National Austerity

A general election was held immediately after Germany surrendered on 8th May 1945. The Labour party won the election and set about introducing a welfare state. The National Insurance Act was launched in 1946 wherein everyone was entitled to sickness and unemployment benefits and the elderly and widows were entitled to pensions. The National Health Service was established in 1948. The Labour party also nationalized several industries including coal, railways, gas and electricity.

Rationing was very severe during the period 1945 to 1951 and even bread and potatoes were rationed. Except for meat and butter, which were rationed till 1954, rationing of all other consumables were subsequently eased off as shortages gradually lessened.

The Affluent Society

Britain became a rather affluent society and consumer goods were considered common around the mid -1950s. By the 1960s Britain became a distinctly affluent society and almost all families owned vacuum cleaners, fridges, washing machines, fridges, toasters, electric blankets and a host of other appliances. Unemployment was almost absent in most areas of Britain in the mid-1970s.

Around the 1960s, Britain also became a more liberal and permissive society and homosexuality; abortion and divorce were more acceptable. Censorship of the theatre was abolished and so was corporal punishment in schools. In 1969 capital punishment was abolished altogether.

There was a tremendous expansion of higher education in the 1960s and 1970s and the number of universities rose to 46 from only 17 in 1945. A national curriculum was introduced in 1988.

Britain was governed by the Conservatives from 1951 to 1964. Winston Churchill was Prime Minister from 1951 to 1955, followed by Anthony Eden from 1955 to 1957, Harold Macmillan from 1957 to 1963 and Sir Alec-Douglas Home from 1963 to 1964.

Labour won the general election in 1964 and Harold Wilson was elected Prime Minister. He remained Prime Minister till 1970.

The 1970s

Britain joined the EEC in 1973.

In the mid 1970s inflation and unemployment had risen tremendously. Trade unions, which had grown very powerful by then refused to accept the government's suggestion that pay rises should be restricted so as to limit inflation. A wave of strikes followed and the Labour government was voted out of favor in 1979. Margaret Thatcher became the first woman prime minister in Britain after the Conservatives won the general election.

The 1980s

Britain suffered an acute recession and unemployment rose sharply from 1980 to 1982. The rise in the number of people living in poverty was partly due to mass unemployment and partly due to the rapidly increasing number of single parent families, many of whom availed of state benefits. People who were employed however, enjoyed a significant rise in their living standards despite the recession.

In response to the Argentinean invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982, Britain sent a taskforce and recaptured the island.

The inevitable showdown between the trade unions and the government finally occurred with the 1984-1985 coal strike. With several security measures in place, the government refused to back down and the miners were forced to get back to work. The strike finally ended in March 1985 and the government passed a series of laws limiting the powers of the trade unions in the 1980s.

The 1990s

In 1993, the unpopular poll tax was replaced by the council tax.

In 1990 John Major replaced Margaret Thatcher upon her resignation as prime minister.

In April 1992 the Conservatives won another general election and Labour was force to abandon socialism.

Labour finally won an election in 1997 and Tony Blair was elected Prime Minister.