How far was cultural change in Britain in the 1960’s due to the contraceptive pill (24 marks)

During the sixties Britain experienced a huge amount of cultural change, some may say that this was due to the contraceptive pill and it’s liberalising affect on women. On the other hand it could have been due to the rise in affluence, technological advances or the development of the car.

The pill was licensed for use in Britain in 1961 and could be prescribed on the National Health Service. As source B states ‘women were keen to try it’. It led to cultural change firstly as it was liberalising to women. Source A states that women felt ‘in control’ and ‘free’. This was because the pill allowed women to plan when they wanted children, which in turn gave them a chance to get careers, something that wasn’t common for women during this time. It meant that women weren’t confined to being housewives as they could choose when and if they wanted to have a baby. As source A states ‘it changed women’s lives’.
Further to this it led to a more permissive society. Women could have sex without the worry of getting pregnant, especially important as abortion hadn’t been legalised at this time. Source a states that she ‘had an affair’’ because she ‘could get away with it’. The family planning act in 1967 added to this when it allowed the pill to be prescribed to single women, not just married. This shows that there was a change in moral standards. For example the media was now publicising stories about sex, which beforehand would never had happened. Source A states that the pill made ‘sex news’.
However although many people said it was a revolution, in reality only 19% of married couples and 9% of single women were using it. As source B states these figures are ‘nowhere near large enough to claim the pill was a major cause of revolution’.

On the other hand, the rise in affluence also had a large affect on cultural change. Ordinary people felt affluent for a number of reasons such as improved welfare services, working hour’s reductions and reductions on income and purchase tax. This meant that people were buying types of goods, which according to source c were ‘previously regarded as luxuries’, such as cars and the latest clothing. Traditional anxieties, particularly among the working class, about the need to thrift and careful management, were replaced by a growing feeling that it was better to spend and enjoy the pleasures that modern technology was helping to bring. Source C suggests that culture changed as ‘personal fulfilment lay in the lasts ‘must have’ consumer item’.

Furthermore, the availability of new and cheaper travel also caused cultural change. Car owner ship had reached 8 million in 1964 and 11.5 million by the end of the 60s, making cars the greatest single measure of the decades prosperity. This was made possible due to small, efficient, fashionable and affordable cars such as the Mini were created. It meant that people were no longer confined to their small communities and could easily go out and see the rest of Britain and experience new things. It gave ordinary people a new sense of freedom. As source C suggests, cars gave people ‘identities and lifestyles’.

As well as this, the expansion of the media also played a part in cultural change. Television became available everywhere, creating a uniformity of culture which ended the isolation of distant communities and helped impose a national standard of behaviour. World leaders had to adapt to their presence in the home which shows the effect they had on society. What was happening on the television became the topic of everyday conversation and football and sports could be watched from the comfort of the living room. This also meant that rather than going out and socialising people were staying in to watch their favourite programmes which meant that peoples values were changed by the emergence of the television.

Ultimately it could be said that although the pill did cause cultural change during the sixties, it wasn’t the main cause. This is because not that many people took it so it wasn’t much of a revolution although combined with other factors it did start to change society’s moral standards. Overall it was the combination of a number of factors that caused cultural change, including the media, affluence and the increase in car ownership.