Change in Britain Since c.1900 (OCR GCSE History B (Schools History Project)): Revision Note
Exam code: J411
Summary
British society and the lives of British people were completely transformed during the hundred years between 1900 and 2000.
Britain became wealthier and changed from a country that mainly manufactured (made things) into a country that provided services. The population increased significantly and became more ethnically diverse as people from all over the world migrated to Britain.
As the right to vote was extended to all adults, governments began to introduce policies that improved the lives and opportunities of working-class people and women. The Welfare State expanded throughout the 20th century, most notably with the introduction of the National Health Service. Combined with advances in medicine, this led to longer life expectancies.
Economic change
Britain became a wealthier country during the 20th century
This led to the standard of living of the British people improving
Most people were able to travel abroad and had both more time and more choices in leisure activities compared to people in 1900
The types of jobs British people did changed during the 20th century
Many of the manual jobs in 'manufacturing' industries based in factories, shipyards and coalmines disappeared
More people began to work in the 'service industries' such as banking, tourism, retail and health care
Social change
Britain's population in 1900 was around 37 million
The majority of people lived in towns and cities
By 2000, the population had grown to around 58 million
An even higher percentage of people were living in urban areas
This was due to increasing employment opportunities in the growing cities
Farms became increasingly mechanised and employed fewer people
In 1900, most people in Britain went to church on a Sunday and over half of British children went to Sunday school
By 2000, attendance at Church had dropped dramatically and was less than 10 per cent
Political Change
In 1918, women won the right to vote in British elections
In 1928, all adults in Britain were able to vote in elections
Governments became far more interested in issues that concerned working-class people because they needed to win their votes
The Labour Party was formed in 1900 to represent Britain's working class
It soon became a major political party and was voted into power in 1924
Labour governments throughout the 20th and 21st centuries have, in general, attempted to improve public health by spending more money on the Welfare State
The biggest example of this was the creation of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948
This provided healthcare to every person in Britain, paid for by taxes, which is free at the point of contact
Governments formed by the Conservative Party have, in general, tried to limit spending on the Welfare State
In the 21st century, many people believed the government had become too involved in people's lives
They argue that it limits freedoms and stops people from living their lives as they wish to
This is often summed up by the term 'nanny state'
Some people argue that the Welfare State costs too much in taxes
Cultural Change
As well as increasing in overall size, the ethnic makeup of Britain's population also changed during the 20th century
Many people moved from countries that were once part of the British Empire to Britain
Many British cities developed communities that were originally from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Caribbean or Africa in the second half of the 20th century
Many of these people played a key role in the NHS, working as doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers
In the first half of the 20th century, it was unusual for married women to work
Careers in the professions were seen as being for men only
This gradually changed as the century progressed and more and more British women built successful careers
The development of the contraceptive pill in the 1960s made family planning much more accurate
The large families of the Victorian era became less common
Worked Example
Name one way in which Britain changed politically during the 20th century.
[2 marks]
One way in which Britain changed politically during the 20th century was that all adults gained the vote, which led to the Labour Party being voted into power as they promised to improve the lives of working people.
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