The Social and Cultural Changes in the Sixties

The Social and Cultural Changes in the Sixties There was undoubtedly a significant social and cultural change in the

sixties. The 60’s represents a year of social and cultural liberation

from the old ways of the 40’s and the 50’s because there was more

affluence, consumer goods i.e. televisions and radios, increase in

education i.e. 22 more universities were established and saw the

emergence of comprehensive schools, sexual liberation, immigration and

women’s rights. However, it could also be seen that the sixties was a

result of continuity from the late 50’s which started the revolution

and continued through to the 70’s. The fact that it is important to

recognise that social revolution wasn’t happening everywhere, for

example, the Women’s Institute flower shop. Thus we can see that there

was a Social revolution but it was limited as some people were not

affected by the goings on of the revolution.

Social change in the 1960’s was not universal as it did not affect

everyone, it concerned mostly the educated middle class, and there

were variations according to age, class and religion. The very fact

that the advance of women, for example began before the First World

War, was accelerated by the Second World War, and was still not

complete in the 1990’s. Arguments suggest that if there was a social

revolution then there is a big question as to why it didn’t last very

long. It is clear to see that there was a social revolution but it has

not affected everyone.

The sixties saw an expansion of higher education for the youth culture

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...from the late 50’s

and the early 70’s in terms of education, feminism, consumer goods,

immigration and government legislations it is clear to me that there

was a Sixties revolution to some extent. Also acknowledging the fact

that revolution means having a dramatic change I believe that there

were a lot of dramatic changes in the Sixties. However, I don’t

believe that this revolution had started in the Sixties because it is

my belief that it had started in the late 50’s but it was catalysed by

the Second World War. One must also ask if there was a sixties

revolution then why did it not last? And if it was a time of greater

equality why did the cold war continue? There had been a lot of social

and cultural changes for example people had greater freedoms in

fashion and self expression which was not recognised in the 50’s.