Abstract
The half century after 1945 brought a transformation in British society. The white-collar and professional middle class expanded; the manual working class continued its century-long decline. Women’s participation in the workforce increased whilst men’s fell. With the expansion of the ethnic minority population, Britain became a multiracial, multicultural society. As prosperity and educational opportunities increased patterns of participation changed. The influence of the media rose steadily. This chapter examines the significance of these changes for British politics. After outlining the main changes in postwar society, it focuses on three themes: changes in the social composition of political elites; trends in political participation; and the political impact of the mass media.
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Further Reading
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© 1998 Bill Coxall and Lynton Robins
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Coxall, B., Robins, L. (1998). Society, Economics and Politics. In: British Politics since the War. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-26013-3_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-26013-3_4
Publisher Name: Palgrave, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-333-54532-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-26013-3
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