FROM THE HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN

Two hundred years ago, in 1763, Britain achieved her first empire, when virtually the whole of North America came under her control. It did not last long, but a hundred years later she had a second and even greater empire, and in 1863 had been for half a century the leading power of the world. All that had changed in the last fifty years, and in 1963, dwarfed by the gigantic powers of the USA and USSR, Britain has lost her material supremacy, a small crowded island with few natural advantages, dependent on imported food and raw materials.

Yet, although no longer a great imperial power, Britain may claim to be something greater. She had led the world in so many ways: in the development of industry and transport, the evolution of democratic institutions, the creation of a social order that has been strengthened by the extension of liberty, tolerance and freedom of speech. Then, the English tongue has become almost the common language of the world, to which she has given an incomparable literature. We have other triumphs of our century for celebration of Rutherford and other scientists who have advanced our frontiers of knowledge, discoverers of the microscopic order of the atom; of artists who for the first time in our history have made Britain remarkable for her sculpture; of composers worthy of the golden age of music of the first Elizabeth.

We live in an age full of anxieties and dangers: of the hydrogen bomb, the Cold War, and a slighted or repressed and explosive nationalism. On the credit side, however, is the essential creativity of man. For man is far more creative than destructive, and when the injustices and frustrations have been removed there will be virtually no limit to his progress spiritual as well as material.

From “A Concise History of England” by F. E. HallidayThe Position of Women in Britain Today

Since 1900 there have been great changes in women’s position in Britain. In 1900, for example, women spent almost all of their adult lives in having and taking care of children. The average amount of time spent then in being pregnant and looking after infants under a year old was at least 15 years. By 1951 this had dropped to an average of only four years.

In 1900 women had no right to vote. They couldn’t even own property in marriage. The husband was the breadwinner and the “lord and master”. Women got their right to vote after the First World War. Other rights followed more slowly. Today women are still not really equal in all respects.In some industries, women make up around half the labour force. The food and clothing industries are examples. Women do a lot of “assembly line work” in the car and electrical industries, but they often get less money than men even when they are doing the same job. The pay difference can be as great as 20%.

In 1900 the only professional jobs open to women were in teaching. There were no women lawyers, engineers or architects. No women had the high position in politics. Today, women seem to have the best professional chances in education, as teachers and professors, in medicine, as doctors, and in journalism, where some even write about such “unfeminine” things as sports, business and aviation. Other good jobs for women can be found in “new industries” like computers. Many of the top computer programmers and specialists are women. Women are slowly winning some of the top positions in politics. Since about 1964 all the governments have had at least one woman as a Minister.

Today’s women are marrying later man any time since the Census Bureau began keeping that data in 1890. The medial age of British women marrying for the first time is 23.6 years as opposed to the record low of 20.1 in 1956. This trend has developed as children of the post-World War Two generation have opted for education and career over early marriage and children.

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