Britain and America: A Historical Overview
Britain in the 60s and 70s
Loss of Influence and Economic Troubles
Britain’s declining influence in world affairs during the 1960s and 70s was a key factor behind the newly elected Labour Government’s support for Britain’s application to join the European Economic Community (EEC). The government faced significant economic challenges and implemented severe measures, including wage freezes and a 14% devaluation of sterling. These actions led to numerous strikes and student protests, highlighting widespread social unrest and a lack of trust in democratic institutions.
The Swinging Sixties
The 1960s was a period of excitement and liberation for young people in Britain. Teenagers had jobs, disposable income, and the freedom to spend it. This era witnessed an explosion in pop music, with bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones becoming global icons for youth culture.
The Seventies
The Conservative government of 1970-74 faced similar economic problems, including low growth, high trade deficits, inflation, and strikes demanding higher wages. They attempted to address these issues with prices and incomes policies. However, a massive increase in oil prices and a work-to-rule by coal miners in 1973 crippled the economy. The country came to a near standstill, with electricity for industry limited to three days a week. After Labour’s return to power in 1974, the government tried to tackle the economic crisis with defense spending cuts. However, it wasn’t until the International Monetary Fund (IMF) initiated a rescue operation in late 1976 that a significant recovery began.
Key Issues of the 60s and 70s
- Loss of Influence: Strikes, student protests, low growth rate, high trade deficits, high wage claims.
- The Economy: Wage freezes, 14% devaluation of sterling, spiraling inflation, IMF loan.
The Thatcher Revolution (1979-1990)
Margaret Thatcher’s premiership, beginning in 1979, dominated the decade and significantly shifted the nation’s attitudes. Thatcher served longer consecutively than any Prime Minister since 1827. In 1982, she confronted Argentina’s invasion of the Falkland Islands with military force, demonstrating a strong foreign policy stance. Britain also endured a global recession with record unemployment during her tenure. Thatcher tackled trade union battles and riots in deprived areas with a firm hand. The year-long miners’ strike in 1984 epitomized a decade of industrial confrontation.
Despite these challenges, Thatcher’s popularity grew, leading to the largest post-war majority in the House of Commons. Notably, she fostered a new type of Briton who benefited from tax cuts and the privatization of state-owned facilities and council houses. Thatcherism created a “Filofax” society, drawing from diverse classes, backgrounds, and educations.
The 1980s can be seen as a stark contrast to the preceding decades: the 60s were a period of exuberance, the 70s were a hangover, and in the 80s, a portion of the nation embraced a renewed era of prosperity while others struggled financially.
Perspectives on Thatcherism
- In Favor: First female Prime Minister, popular with the electorate, long tenure.
- Against: Falklands War, economic recession, record unemployment, numerous crises, riots, and trade union battles.
Pre-Colonial and Colonial America
Pre-Colonial America
Before European colonization, diverse and complex cultures thrived across the Americas. These ranged from nomadic hunter-gatherers in the North American plains to affluent fishing societies in the Pacific Northwest, and from woodland hunting tribes in the eastern United States to the wealthy and powerful civilizations of Central America. The indigenous population numbered between fifty and one hundred million, demonstrating that America was not an empty land waiting for European settlement.
For example, the chiefdoms of the Pacific Northwest, such as the Tlingit of southern Alaska, the Nootka on Vancouver Island, and the Yurok of Northern California, flourished in a resource-rich environment. Abundant fish and edible plants allowed for sedentary societies. In the Eastern Woodlands, from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic coast, various agricultural societies developed, each with its unique characteristics.
Colonial America
The first English settlers in America arrived under the auspices of private companies with trading charters from the English Crown. These colonists were primarily the landless, unemployed, and those seeking religious freedom. The Pilgrim Fathers, who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 and landed at Cape Cod in New England, are among the most famous early settlers.
The colonists failed to acknowledge the existing civilizations in America and instead viewed the native populations as barbarians.