Key features of Britain since c.1900
The social, economic and political features of Britain in the present day are very different compared to c.1900, with important implications for crime and punishment.
Watch historian Alice Loxton give a summary of crime and punishment in Modern Britain.
The role of government
In c.1900
After 1884, most working men over the age of 21 could vote. This influenced governments to make further changes to help working people. Between 1906 and 1911, the Liberal Party introduced A tax system in the United Kingdom paid by workers and employers to fund state benefits.the first old age A sum of money paid to people upon their retirement. and free school meals.
Present day
By 1928, more women in England had been given the right to vote meaning every adult aged over 21 could vote. This was one of the factors that led to a growth in the A state (or country) where the government provides welfare benefits, such as education, health care and unemployment payments, to its population free at the point of use, although they are paid for by general taxation. In 1948, the National Health Service (NHS) was set up.
Science and technology
In c.1900
The private ownership of cars and the use of electricity in people’s homes were becoming more popular. There were new developments in cinema, radio and A system for sending messages or information by wire over a distance. communications. Ideas and people travelled around more quickly and easily.
Present day
There has been scientific innovation on a massive scale. Televisions, computers, planes, the internet, phones and other technologies have transformed people’s lives. Scientists have revealed the structure of human The part of the cells of living things that carries information about how they look and function. Everyone’s DNA is different, except identical twins who share the same DNA.
Beliefs and attitudes
In c.1900
Most people still went to church, although A person who does not believe in the existence of God or gods. and Someone who holds that it is impossible to know whether some things asserted by theists, such as God or the afterlife, really exist. were growing.
Present day
Religion's influence on the lives of people in Britain has changed. More people belonging to faiths other than Christianity now live in Britain. In the 2011 Census of England and Wales, 28 per cent of people said they had no religion. The Christian church's previous widespread influence on society has decreased.
Changes to the law around both homosexuality and abortion occurred in the 1960s. Many people's opinions on these subjects, which are sometimes influenced by religious teachings, have changed too.
Work and wealth
In c.1900
Working people still mainly carried out manual labour in Britain’s factories, shipyards and mines, but wages and working conditions were improving. The workface was mostly male. Working-class women were often employed as domestic servants but were expected to give up work when they married. Britain’s economy struggled in the 1920s and 1930s - there was a lot of unemployment and many A situation when workers refuse to work - as an act of protest - often because of disagreements about pay or working conditions.
Present day
By the 1950s, the economy had begun to improve, but it had also changed. Work in mines, shipyards and factories has reduced and the A job which involves payment for a service, eg a hotel receptionist is paid to check-in/check-out people from the hotel. sector has grown. Areas such as tourism, retail and hospitality offer more job opportunities. A shift in social attitudes means a higher percentage of women now choose to undertake paid employment.
It can be said that Britain has become a ‘consumer society’ and people now buy more Goods that are used as ends in themselves and not for the production of other goods. Examples include vacuum cleaners, fridges and radios. Credit cards and other means of money lending have made such purchases more accessible for some people.
People and society
In c.1900
The population was around 37 million and over two-thirds of people lived in urban areas. The class structure was still fairly rigid:
| The upper classes | The middle classes | The working classes |
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| The upper classes |
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| The middle classes |
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| The working classes |
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Present day
The UK population is around 67 million and is now much more diverse than in c.1900. After World War Two, migration to Britain from An association comprising the UK, its dependencies, and many former British colonies. countries, such as the Caribbean and India, increased. After Britain joined the European Union (EU) in 1973, more migrants arrived from other European countries to work and contribute to the economy. In some cases, this led to social tension.
By 2011, over 80 per cent of the population lived in urban areas. Many cities have grown and merged with nearby towns.
Free education expanded after 1944 and new universities were introduced in the 1960s. The class system has become much more fragmented.
