To what extent did the Second World War bring about social change in Britain?

The Second World War arguably acted as catalyst for social change in Britain as it exposed the areas of society that were need of support from the government. The process of evacuation and also intergration of classes on the Western Front enabled all levels of society to witness the extreme poverty that was present throughout Britain. This led to the government being pressured to implement some kind of welfare reforms in order to satisfy the country. The reforms implemented by the Labour government after the war were guided by the Beveridge Report of 1942 which stated the need for a nationalised health service and child benefits for all members of society regardless of income. Beveridge's suggestions were deemed so radical that the government refused to put their name to the report but the country's support for these reforms was overwhelming. Undoubtably it was the shift in attitudes of the poor that were caused by the war that allowed the reforms to be not only accepted but welcomed by such a large proportion of society, leading to dramtic social change. (This is an example of one paragraph in an answer that would require at least 2 or 3 more paragraphs addressing other factors depending on how many marks the question is worth)

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Answered by Chloe A. History tutor

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