‘It was affluence that produced the ‘teenager’ in the years 1955-1964.’ Assess the validity of this
view. [25 marks]
Affluence was the main factor which led to the emergence of the ‘teenager’ between the years 1955
and 1964. Rising wages, youth employment and the growth of consumerism all meant that the new
youth culture of the day could flourish, with many new styles and trends entering the scene in
Britain. This all leads to the conclusion that the view is valid.
Evidently, one main development which allowed teenagers to express themselves was the higher
wages both they and their parents were receiving. After the tragedy of war, the ending of rationing
in July 1954, and the introduction of big government, workers were far better off and saw their pay
frequently increase. For instance, in 1958 the average wage went up by 2% whilst in 1959 it
increased by 3%. Incredibly, between 1951 and 1961, the average weekly wage of an employed male
had risen from £8.30 to £15.35. Not only did the income increase, but taxes went down. Prior to the
1955 general election, the Chancellor, R. A. Butler made swingeing tax cuts equating to £134 million
for the middle classes. Many generous parents with their new-found affluence began to give their
children pocket money, much of which was spent on the development of a youth culture: trendy
clothes, cigarettes and vinyl. For those children who got jobs of their own, there was also cause for
optimism. Young workers’ wages had doubled since the time of the previous generation, which only
served to make the youth more economically powerful. As a section of society, they saw income like
never before and were able to fashion their own identity. Their privilege extended far beyond
wages, as it also allowed for the vast majority of young people to become employed in the first place
- in 1955, it was estimated that there were just 200,000 out of work, which means that Britain could
be classified as having full employment.
Nonetheless, these wage statistics must not be taken out of context. Following Britain’s humiliation
at Suez when the United States effectively ordered Eden to withdraw, the value of the pound
plummeted as foreign holders of sterling assets sold, leading to the devaluation of the currency and
the loss of around $280 million in British foreign currency reserves, according to the then-Chancellor
Harold Macmillan. The higher wages were an undoubted result of the ensuing inflation, so it may be
said that although the raw numbers increased, the intrinsic value was equal.
Another reason why affluence was the main factor in the creation of the teenager was the fact that
consumerism had taken off in the 1950s and 1960s. As the new wealth found its way into the middle
classes, new gadgets and devices became visible in the shops. For instance, the television was a
revolution in the entertainment industry, allowing for the broadcasting of new shows aimed at
different demographic groups. The reach of the television grew massively, and between 1957 and
1959 ownership rose by 32%. By 1960, there were roughly 10 million television sets in use in the
United Kingdom. Following the BBC, ITV was launched in 1955. Gripping drama such as Z Cars
captured the imagination of the young, allowing them to copy their heroes and start new trends to
mirror their idols. Yet it was not just the television which helped to propagate the new youth culture.
The transistor radio had just entered the market, and music stars such as Elvis Presley and Marty
Wilde were broadcast up and down the nation, always providing the latest tune to which the youth
could jive and bop. Presley’s Heartbreak Hotel and Hound Dog both reached #2 in the charts, whilst
Wilde’s A Teenager in Love also peaked in second position. Teenagers would head down to coffee
bars and nightclubs and dance away to such music; its rock-and-roll style differentiated them from
their parents who had listened to big band jazz and country music in the 1930s. This distinction was
a step towards the emergence of the teenager in the 1950s and 1960s.
However, it must be said that the whole principle of the revolutionised entertainment industry
stemmed from America. Whilst it is true that consumerism allowed British children to watch these
new programmes and experience new music, without the influence of US culture little
transformation would have been made in Britain. Movies such as Blackboard Jungle (1955, starring
