Introduction
In the year 1945, there was an introduction of new labour government that aimed at revolutionizing the social conditions in the English cities. After some period, conservative governments were set up until the year 1979. By that time, the city governments were in charge of controlling national activities in the respective countries. Examples of activities controlled by the city governments are the education sectors, urban regeneration and housing facilities in the cities. Among other functions of central states included the provision of public health to the people and ensured social security.
In 1945, the welfare state economy was rooted in an industrially based economy. There was a distinct class of the working class which dominated the world, owning all the resources and labour (Boehm, 1963, p 132). Furthermore, the economy was dominated by increasing crisis of poverty and poor health and physical conditions. By the end of the next forty years, the value of the world was transformed and changed by the influence of social mobility and decline in industrialization which was as a result of economic imbalance and social classes namely the working class and the labourers.
Immigration affected major economies in the world as well as the small economies during that period. This involved movement of labour force from one country to the other leaving a deficiency of specialized skills in such countries of origin (Weiss, 1993, p 154). There was adverse movement of professionals as well as manual workers from least development countries to the most developed countries in such of jobs as a source of income.
Immigration had several advantages and disadvantages during the years 1945-1985 economy. The impact of immigration can be classified according to the movement of people that is, the impact of the countries gaining people and that which was losing people. For the country losing the people, positive impact of immigration included a reduced population which was to be fed by the central governments. Furthermore, there was the development done by the income that was sent back to their countries as some people decided to invest at their mother countries. The negative impact of immigration during the year 1945 to 1985 to the countries losing people was that there was a loss of skilled labour in such countries. Another negative impact was that there was the loss of young working class people in such countries resulting to unbalanced population structure and dependency ratio. Furthermore, immigration resulted to division of members of the families as the members of the families divided and moved to different places in search of greener pastures. Moreover, it results to high death rates since only the elderly population is the one that is left behind.
Furthermore, immigration had both negative and positive impact to the English nations which were gaining people thus influencing their economy in different ways. The positive impacts included the availability of cheaper labour. Immigration helped to solve the problem caused by the shortage of the labour. There was also cultural diversity that was brought about by immigration. Despite this, there was also negative impacts resulting from immigration. There was a problem in the language barrier among people from other nation because of lack of a common language. There developed the problem of ethical tensions. Furthermore, there was a loss of jobs and displacement by the incoming skilled people from other regions. Immigration also resulted to the increased pressure on the housing facilities and other amenities such as public health, thus leading to poor health condition among cities.
The issues of immigration and ethnic rivalries led to social problems. Furthermore, the welfare state institutions affected the political impact of the social change. This was as a result of increased ethnic rivalries which was caused by the struggle in accessing the limited state-provided housing facilities among other government provided amenities.
There was a decline in the active engagement on the working people in the local parties. This was the experience in the year 1960 and thereafter. The decline in the active participation working people in the local parties was caused by congestions and increased responsibilities among the working class (Gibbins, 1989, p 129). The number of the working class opted to look for other means of getting income to the increased population which was experienced in the years 1960s. Furthermore, there was poor leadership in the labour parties. This discouraged a number of working class from engaging and actively participating in the labour groups.
As time passed by, there was a loss of meaning in the term “ working class” . This was the experience during the second half of the century. The term became less useful as a concept of analyzing between different classes of people. This was as a result of competition that was experienced during that period. At that time, everyone made an effort of survival as the economy of many countries experienced some depression. There was widespread of poverty within all the social classes. For this reason, there were no distinct social differences among the individuals. For this reason, every individual started working hard so as to get some income for survival.
During the post-war, great problem existed in the housing facilities in the English cities. The city governments which were reinstated took control of the housing conditions in the English cities (Keynes, 1971, p 432). The impact of immigration caused the problem of housing facilities. The English cities started becoming overcrowded as many immigrants moved in the cities, thus creating a shortage in the housing facilities in the cities. The city governments brought about the housing policies which meant to improve the housing conditions in the English cities.
The problem of housing facilities and conditions in the English cities was managed by the housing policies which were set up by the city governments. Among the policies, there was movement of people from populated cities to other areas to ease populations in the cities. This was done by creation of industries in the rural regions among the English states. This was to create employment in such rural regions. This pulled a number of people from the cities thus reducing pressure of housing in the English cities. There was also the emphasis for the setup of housing facilities by the private sectors of the states. The new dwellings were set up by the private and public sectors of the state to solve the issue of housing in the English cities. By the year 1976, there was improvement in the housing conditions in the English cities.
Among the housing policies, there was set up of tenure systems in England. These were also done to improve the housing conditions in the cities. There was also demolition of unfit housing structures and set up of modernized housing structures the cities. Some of the private rented houses and council houses were also sold to other people (Thomas, 1993). The housing facilities were also improved by the public sectors in the English cities. The provision of social housing on a large scale estates significantly contributed to social fragmentation in England. Despite this, the fragmentation did not seem to diminish as the housing building programmed for the council grounded to a halt.
The education sector was also taken care of by the city governments. In 1944, there was tripartite education system, which was introduced, in a different group in the society. This system had an impact to the educational sector and educational output. This system was not effective thus led to the revision of the education system. This was done by the contemporary advocates and various opponents of the grammar schools who came up with alternative education system. This was done to redefine the education system that existed by then. Their main object was to come up with a more flexible and convenient education system that could work more efficiently. The city governments introduced new institutional changes.
The tripartite system, also known as the selective education system was not effective as it had a number of limitations more so on the children from the ordinary working class homes. Such children could not meet and achieve their potentials in academics. Individuals from the ordinary working class opposed this system. The selective education system was rejected because of different capabilities among children that could not be favored by such a system. The difference in capabilities that existed among children was because of different backgrounds and the innate differences.
The new education system which was introduced had a positive impact to the education system in the English states (Gibbins, 1989, p 243). It improved the level of inequality that existed among children. Despite this, it brought in an extra cost to the government for changing the teaching style and educational institutions also had to go the extra mile so as to fit in the new educational system. These educational reforms took place between the years 1960s and 1970s.
Another sector that had some changes and adjustment was the health service sector. This sector was controlled by the central state. The new reforms were done in the health sectors due to the demand that existed during such time. The increase in population because of improved living standards and immigration to English cities raised demand on the health services which was being provided. The central state authorities came up with ways to redefine and improve the health care services to keep the health conditions of an increasing population at a safer side. The existing differences in the access to healthcare services by people from different social classes were done away with, thus providing equal access to health care services by all people. The new renovation to hospital buildings and the reallocation of healthcare services was done during the 1960s and 1970s. New establishment of hospitals and health centers were established throughout the English cities as a way of improving the health care services in the cities. There was further improvement in special health sections such as that of the infants, the elderly and the special need groups in the society. During these reforms, the English governments had trouble in ensuring equity distribution of healthcare services all over the cities.
Furthermore, there were some economic changes that were experienced in the English states. There was a decline in the economic capabilities of the states to carry out several activities. De-Industrialization was realized in the cities (Pierson, 2001, p 432). Immigration brought about such problems as the populations in the cities increased. Many companies and industries closed up thus leading to displacement of people from their current jobs. Because of these factors, the general welfare of the people declined thus raising concern to the central government to come in and rescue the situation. Many people migrate to other places in search of jobs thus leading to instability in the social structures and values.
The immigration brought up the issue of ethnic rivalries. This worsened the situation in the cities as there was individual pursuit rather that the collective pursuit which could help solve the experienced social problems. Furthermore, increased population in the English cities resulted to struggle for the limited government resources and other social amenities such as housing facilities. The welfare state institutions also played a role in the problems of political and social problems that were being experienced in the region. There were an increase and ethical rivalries due to struggling for the access to the limited state-provided housing. For this reason, the labour parties did not function appropriately.
Conclusion
The struggle in redefining the social democracy and the political economy of the English working classes during the period of 1945-1985 went through various processes. These processes aimed at achieving the goals that were set up by various authorities in the English cities. Some of the authorities that were in charge were the labour government, the conservative governments, the city governments and the central state. Each of the authority played specific roles in the English cities.
Works cited
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