A Survey of the United Kingdom

England

Wales

Northern Ireland

Scotland

- 49,500,900

- 2,937,000

- 5,119,200

- 1,691,800

- ¼ of all residents

- governed

- has its own

still speak Welsh

directly from

legislation

( -> radio station;

London

- economically

- 17th century:

- and its own

discriminated

protestant

Education- /

against

immigrants from

Church systems

( -> closing of coal

England

mines)

-> lion′s share is
Protestant;
35 % Roman

- associated with

-> Former times:

- 1/3 of surface of

England since

Protestants

the UK

1536

discriminated

-> thinniest

-> roots of the

- Scottish

Northern Ireland

interests are

conflict

represented by

-> IRA ( Irish

- low standard of

Republican

living in contrast

Army; catholic)

to England

UDA
(Ulster Defence

B Survey about the Population/ Development from 1801-
1999

1801: First population census: England and Wales 8,893,000 residents

London 860,000 residents
-> table and foil

England

Wales

Northern Ireland

Scotland

-

population;

-

stagnation

-

stagnation

-

migration;

especially in the

but:

oil region in

South ( Milton Keys..)

the North East

---

C Common features/ Reasons for development

- anniversary growth: + 0,3% (1981- 1991: + 1,1%)
but: declining birth rates

1960

1970

1980

1990

17,5 birth/ 1000 res.

16,3

13,2

13,9

-> demographic development of the population (life expectancy: m: 74; f: 79)

->debit on the British Social Security Services

- growing number of single households/ size of households is declining

- distribution of the employees: (1993)

primary sector

secondary sector

third sector

2,1 %

26,1 %

71,8 %

- urbanization: a) cities with a population over 250,000 residents:

(e.g. Liverpool, Manchester)

b) cities with an population over 250,000-70,000 res.:

(especially in the Midlands and in the South)

c) small towns:

( 1981- 1991: + 5%)
-> shifting from big cities into satellite towns and suburbs

-> desolation of downtown


D Society

Contemporary British society is characterized by two dominant factors:

(1) traditional nation of Britain as a class-ridden society which is still the outstanding

feature of British society

(2) more recent development of Britain from an Anglo- Saxon into a multi- racial

society

(-> as a mirror of Britain′s imperial past)

(1):Historical aspects, which lead to the development of a class- ridden society

Reasons for class distinctions and class consciousness can be traced back to the 19 th

century:

a) Industrial Revolution -> Britain became the first industrial nation in the world

-> capitalists ( landowners, factory- owners)

-> mercantile middle class

-> proletariat ( industrial working- class; factory workers/ miners; no land + money)

moreover: -> destruction of the structure in villages

-> "creation" of new cities without infrastructure

-> great differences in the social system

b) II World War

-> decisive cut in the traditional concept of society ( common war experience,

rationing of food after the war -> more egalitarian view of society)

c) Post- war

-> class differences were less obvious and social mobility ( movement from one class to

the other) has become a characteristic aspect of contemporary Britain

---

d) Today

-> "class" has never disappeared and has remained fundamental to stratification

(gesellschaftl. Schichtung); class redestribution ( Umverteilung der gesellschaftl.

Schichten) has not taken place;

-> Britain is nowadays more socially divided than ever before; "steps", that were taken to

prevent this development failed ( e.g. 1945: reforms in the educational and school

system)

-> people from the upper class don′t have as high promotion prospects as people

from higher classes

Differences in social "background" and language

Upper Class Usage (U)

Non- Upper Class Usage ( Non- U)

- perfect, noble pronounciation Anglo- Saxonian

- hard words ( romanian expresssions)

words

e.g. lavatory

toilet

lunch

dinner

"Classes"

Working Class

Middle Class

Upper Class

- Blue- collar workers

- White- collar jobs

-Upper class of today was

(jobs without manual,

developed after WW II

-j skilled workers: lesser

- replaced the aristocracy in

- ruling class

officials, owner of small

politics and administration

business;

biggest stratum in British

-ksemi- and non-skilled

- organized since the 70′s

- influence on the House of

- no high education, lack of

- managers, civil servants,

- enjoy prestige in social and

faith in political system, bec.

businessmen ( bank,

cultural life

of decline of major industries

insurances, trade)

-> low wages

- Dukes & Earls

---

(2): Multi- racial/cultural society

-> table and foil

Background:

- immigration started far back to the 16th century (e.g. Jews,..)

- important role for the development : colonial policies

- main stream of immigrants started in the 1950′s (-> indian subcontinent)

Positive aspects for Britain′s industry:

- cheap workers for manual and dirty work ( steel industry, transportation)

Development:

- many "waves" of immigrants, often bec. of politically persecution

- number of immigrants of former colonies is sinking (-> laws !)

Nationality Acts: ( attempts to deal with immigration and discrimination)

- 1914: Imperial Act. anyone born in the British Empire is a natural- born British

- 1948: British Nationality Act: condemn immigration; no difference between British

residents and residents of the Commonwealth

- 1981: British Nationality Act: national status is subdivided into three groups

-> immigration rate dropped

Racial Problems:

- prejudices

- social discrimination

-> 1976: Race Relations Act: to stop racial discrimination and to help integration

Examples of ethnic minorities.

- life in common: high unemployment

low education

life in "ghettos"

low wages

Pakistani

Bangladeshi

- unemployment higher in contrast to the white

- ½ of them live in London

population

- financial engagement for education

- 60% born in Bangladesh

- often employed in the service sector: catering

- average size of a family. 5,3 persons

business;

moreover: often self- employed (taxi)

- Lancashire, Scotland, Greater Manchester

- youngest and fastest growing ethnic population

(1991)

---

Words

manifold vielseitig, komplex

satellite towns Trabantenstadt

prevalent dominant

(to) typify (to) characterize

(to) trace back back to the origin

mercantile trade and commerce

decisive entscheidend, ausschlaggebend

egalitarian belief in equal rights, benefits and opportunities for everybody

stratification gesellschaftliche Schichtung

redistribution Umverteilung der gesellschaftlichen Schichten

promotion prospects possibility to raise to a higher position

stratum Schicht

Nationality Act attempts to deal with immigration and discrimination

---

A Percentage of the population in the UK ( Mid-1999 UK Population
Estimates)

UK

England

Wales

Northern Ireland

Scotland

- 59,500,900

- 49,752,900

- 2,937,000

- 5,119,200

- 1,691,800

83,62%

4,94%

8,60%

2,84%

B Development from 1801- 1999

- 1801: First population census: England and Wales 8,893,000 residents

London 860,000 residents

England

Wales

Northern Ireland

Scotland

- population;

- stagnation

- stagnation

- migration;

especially in the South

e.g.: Milton Keys,

- but: oil region in the

Wokingham, Redditch,

North East

Bracknell, Northampton,

Huntingdondhire

- urbanization: -> shifting from big cities into satellite towns and suburbs

-> danger of desolation of the city centre

C Society

Contemporary British society is typified by two prevalent factors:

(1)

traditional notion of Britain as a class-ridden society which is still the outstanding

feature of British society

(2)

more recent development of Britain from an Anglo- Saxon into a multi- racial

society ( mirror of Britain′s imperial past)

(1):

Historical aspects, which lead to the development of a class- ridden society can be traced back to

the 19th century:

a) Industrial Revolution -> Britain became the first industrial nation in the world

nation was split up into:

-> capitalists ( landowners, factory- owners)

-> mercantile middle class

-> proletariat ( industrial working- class; factory workers/ miners; no land + money)

moreover: -> destruction of the structure in villages

-> "creation" of new cities without infrastructure

-> great differences in the social system

b) World War II and Post-war

-> decisive cut in the traditional concept of society ( common war experience,

rationing of food after the war -> more egalitarian view of society)

-> class differences were less obvious and social mobility ( movement from one class to the

other) has become a characteristic aspect of contemporary Britain

c) Today

-> "class" has never disappeared and has remained fundamental to stratification

(gesellschaftliche Schichtung); class redestribution ( Umverteilung der gesellschaftlichen

Schichten) has not taken place;

---

-> Britain is nowadays more socially divided than ever before; "steps", that were taken to

prevent this development failed ( e.g. 1945: reforms in the educational and school system)

-> people from the lower class don′t have as high promotion prospects as people

from higher classes

-> number of homeless people is rising

Differences in social "background" and language

Upper Class Usage (U)

Non- Upper Class Usage ( Non- U)

- perfect, noble pronunciation of Anglo- Saxon

- hard words ( Latin expressions)

words; RP= Received Pronunciation=

Queen′s English

e.g. lavatory

toilet

"Classes"

Working Class

Middle Class

Upper Class

- Blue- collar workers

- White- collar jobs

-Upper class of today was

(jobs without manual, exerting

developed after WW II

-j skilled workers: lesser

- replaced the aristocracy in

- ruling class

officials, owner of small

politics and administration

business; biggest stratum in

-ksemi- and non-skilled

- organized since the 70′s

- influence on the House of

- no high education, lack of

- managers, civil servants,

- enjoy prestige in social and

faith in political system, bec. of

businessmen ( bank,

cultural life

decline of major industries

insurances, trade)

-> low wages

- Dukes & Earls

(2): Multi- racial/cultural society

Background:

- immigration started far back to the 16th century (e.g. Jews, Irish, French)

- 20th century: Jews from Germany

- after World War II: immigrants from British colonies

- main stream of immigration started in the 1950′s:

West Indies (especially from Jamaica) and Indian Subcontinent

-> cheap workers for manual and dirty work (steel industry,

transportation, National Health Service)

- immigration in the `80s: especially from Iran (-> politically persecution)

Development:

- many "waves" of immigrants, often because of political persecution, economic differences

- number of immigrants of former colonies is dropping (-> laws !)

Nationality Acts: ( attempts to deal with immigration and discrimination)

- 1914: Imperial Act: anyone born in the British Empire is a natural- born Britis h

- 1948: British Nationality Act: no differences between British residents and residents of

the Commonwealth

- 1962: Commonwealth Immigrants Act

---

- 1971: Immigration Act

- 1981: British Nationality Act: national status is subdivided into three groups

( British, Dependent Territory Cit., British Overseas Citizens)

-> immigration rate dropped

Racial Problems:

- racial prejudices and social discrimination

-> 1968: Race Relations Act: incitement to racial hatred is culpable

1976: Race Relations Act: to stop racial discrimination and to help

integration

Examples of ethnic minorities.

- life in common: high unemployment

low education

life in "ghettos"

low wages

UK

Whites

All ethnic

Indian

Pakistani

Black- Caribbean

( Estimates 1999)

minorities

100%

93,53%

6,47%

1,66%

1,00%

0,88%

Pakistani

Bangladeshi

- unemployment higher in contrast to the white population - ½ of them live in London

- financial commitment for education

- 60% born in Bangladesh

- often employed in the service sector: catering business; - average size of a family: 5,3 persons

moreover: often self- employed (taxi)

- live especially in Lancashire, Scotland, Greater

- youngest and fastest growing ethnic population (1991)

Manchester

- 1988-1990: 16-24 years:

48% without any education

54% without any education

---