Cultural Revolution in 1960s Britain - Essay Example

Introduction
No matter where people live in the modern world, just a brief verbal or observational reference to the 1960s era will arouse memories and emotions that are hard for others to imagine. This is true for those individuals who were both young and old during that famous decade. Naturally, the reactions that will occur within a discussion of the 1960s will vary from place to place and among different age groups. A significant amount of literature referencing the effects of the 1960s on society in the Western World exists in libraries and on the Internet today, but in comparison, there is relatively little addressing the effects on countries such as Britain.

Research
This will be accomplished by specifically discussing 1960s Britain. First, a general discussion of 1960s Britain will be included, and this will be followed by references to specific texts that covered that specific time frame.

1960s Britain
Up until the 1960s, individuals in Britain lived by a very structured lifestyle: one that is often referred to as ‘traditional’ by most of us today. In fact, today’s government in Britain is more traditional than most Westerners are personally familiar with, so this fact lends a great deal of strength to the idea of how those who were used to an even more structured society may have reacted to such a vast change over such a short period of time. Whether or not the loss of this highly organized structure was deemed positive or negative had a lot to do with the personal opinions of those who were affected by it or who observed it, especially firsthand.

Those individuals who were more conservative in nature saw the dissolution of the old societal framework as negative. They found comfort in the structure of the more traditional and authoritative society. Moral values, to them, were stronger and more widely held underneath this type of structure. When this traditional structure dissolved, people in this group believed that society in general within Britain took a turn for the worst. They believed that the outcome of the revolution of the 60s could have been vastly different than it turned out to be, but instead, the power was in the wrong hands and Britain fell victim at the hands of the naive.

In contrast, those who were more liberal and eclectic in nature saw the dissolution of the old societal framework as positive. In this light, they were rebellious against what they had previously been faced with. They were able to stand up for what they believed was right with regard to their freedoms and rights.
No matter what side of the fence a person stood on, however, he or she undoubtedly saw certain events unfold during 1960s Britain. Blacks fought for and gained certain civil rights. The youth of the decade set trends and stood out with their own unique culture. People rebelled, protested, and pushed forth with idealism. Music took the lead, gaining status as a global language, and the Beatles were the most popular icons of the time. Christianity declined in popularity as people turned to Oriental nations for religious inspiration. Gays came forth and fought for their rights, and so did feminists. People began to behave significantly differently with regard to sex, their personal relationships, and in general, and this included the media and books with relaxed censorship. The underground emerged, as did the counter-culture. People, in general, saw a new and better world forming—certainly one that was fairer across the different cultures.

One of the easiest ways to see the key differences in 1960s Britain is to contrast that decade with the 1950s. In the prior decade, the country had been subjected to strict social hierarchy. Men were considered to be higher and more powerful than women, and children were considered to be lower and less powerful than parents. The decade was rampant with racism and people were hysterical about the Cold War. Sex was never discussed and language and manners were very formal in nature. People dressed in a very conservative fashion. Parents, teachers, the government, national emblems, and religious leaders were held in the highest respect. Music and culture were filled with clichés and big bands. Conservatives believe that the 1950s were the last decade for morality, respect, patriotism, and general taste. Liberals believe that the 1960s were the first decade of a fair world.