On British Youth Culture Since WWⅡ

The Second World War can be regarded as a watershed in British history. Dramatic changes have taken place in various aspects. As a response to these social upheavals, young people begin to form their groups to express their ideas and have established a new cultural phenomenon—youth culture.The thesis first gives the definition of youth and youth culture in British context before exploring the factors contributing to its emergence, including demographic factor, economic and political conditions, social reforms, educational changes and conscription.Then the thesis sums up the features shared by different kinds of youth culture in five aspects: the group-mindedness, inward-lookingness, rebelliousness, music and fashion using, and class-consciousness.Furthermore, the thesis displays many kinds of youth culture, namely Teddy boys, Beats, Mods, Rockers, Skinhead, Hippies and Punks. After the flourishing period of the 1960s and the 70s, youth culture begins to decline since the late 70s.Last but not least, this paper discusses the influences of British youth culture. Youth culture has not only influenced the English language by enriching the English vocabulary, but also has great influence on British society.The influences on British society can be divided into five aspects: Firstly, it gives birth to a new school of literature—the Angry Young Men, making the literature in the 50s and the 60s distinctive from that of other eras. Secondly, the increased youth delinquency has influenced the policy making of the government, and fostered the establishment of many youth service organizations to help these young people socialize into the society. Thirdly, it challenges the long-established tradition of "modeling upon the upper-class", which can be best exemplified in changes in fashion, music and language. Fourthly, the development of youth culture has influenced the consumer market, causing changes in the patterns of consumption. Lastly, youth culture has also brought about some negative...