In this blog post a focus will be put on the “change in attitude” in comparison to previous decades. Analysis will be done on the growth of the attitudes from the race riots and politics to media and television, studying how there was ‘acceptance’ of racism to be shown on television in the form of comedy. The main television programme this blogs study’s is Johnny Speight’s depiction of working-class prejudice through his television series ‘Till Death Us Do Part’. A study on the attitudes of particularly tv character such as ‘Alf Garnett’ will be studied in order understand some of the working-class racial attitudes and conclude weather the number of working-class Brits felt the attitudes reflected their opinions. whether it reflected a minority or majority of Britain. This blog will focus on the years 1965 to 1975, where its described to be the “turning point in the evolution of English racism”.
Historians have struggled to untangle the complex relation with the British working-class and the increased racial attitudes towards immigrants after the passing of the Commonwealth Immigration Act 1968.[1] ‘Till Death Do Us Part’ was a popular television series of the decade and Alf Garnett the main character explored prejudice and attacked the British Class system.[2] Over the course of the show running there had been many disputes and issues, however, issues over racism was not brought it and this is a reflection of how the attitudes towards racism grew with Britain.
Exploring the success of the tv Till Death Do Us Part, it allows a form of measurement to the social and political attitudes held in the form of popular culture, specifically for understanding the working-class attitudes. The characters came from a Labour-supporting community and was the most popular show in the six years that the show aired.[3] The show was aired during the time when Enoch Powell’s speech was delivered and there was a rise in immigration issues from different backgrounds. Some scholars have argued that the tv series was in fact a host for the development of racial consciousness in Britain to some extent, stating that the ‘jokes’ in the comedy cannot be classed as a form off agreement,[4] but can be studying to a degree of truth for understanding particular attitudes and the changes that occurred during the time of ‘’Powallism’.
[1] Schaffer, Gavin. 2010. “Till Death Us Do Part and the BBC: Racial Politics and the British Working Classes 1965–75.” Journal of Contemporary History 45 (2): 454..
[2] Schaffer, Gavin. 2010. “Till Death Us Do Part and the BBC: Racial Politics and the British Working Classes 1965–75.” Journal of Contemporary History 45 (2): 454.
[3] Schaffer, Gavin. 2010. “Till Death Us Do Part and the BBC: Racial Politics and the British Working Classes 1965–75.” Journal of Contemporary History 45 (2): 457.
[4] Schaffer, Gavin. 2010. “Till Death Us Do Part and the BBC: Racial Politics and the British Working Classes 1965–75.” Journal of Contemporary History 45 (2): 458.
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