AS MOD 2
SOCIO-CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL EFFECTS ON
PARTICIPATION IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND THEIR
INFLUENCE ON PERFORMANCE
THE CHANGING NATURE OF BRITISH SOCIETY
The Changing Nature of British Society
Introduction:
Sport is an INTEGRAL part of society
British Society has undergone 3 phases
1.
2.
3.
Pre-industrial society
Industrialisation
Post Industrial/Advanced Technological Society
Developments in sport tend to MIRROR developments in society
For example
As society became CIVILISED so did sporting recreations of
the time as reflected in the development of RULES, SKILLS and
ETIQUETTE for many games
What does Industrialisation mean?
Process in 18th and 19th C when Britain moved from
predominantly AGRICULTURAL base to an ECONOMY
dominated by MANUFACTURING
What does the CIVILISING OF SOCIETY mean?
The development of HUMAN MANNERS, e.g
the practicing of SELF RESTRAINT in social
situations. CODES of BEHAVIOUR and
ETIQUETTE became the norm. Sports
became LESS VIOLENT in nature
The birth of MODERN SPORT began in BRITAIN, the 1st INDUSTRIALISED country in the WORLD
Modern sport developed in an atmosphere where social and economic conditions occurred, these were:
1.) Industrialisation
2.) Effective communications
3.) URBANISATION (mass of population changes lifestyle from living in villages/rural areas
to living in towns/cities)
4.) Affluent society
5.) Population with sufficient leisure time and surplus disposable income
PRE-INDUSTRIAL BRITAIN (pre 1750)
- Majority of population lived in RURAL areas working on the land
- UPPER CLASSES
Were wealthy landowners holding political power
- WORKING CLASSES
Had little free time and their lives were harsh
Strong sense of community
Lack of free time = recreations only took place occasionally and mostly on
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS and FESTIVALS
As participation was not regular, many activities DID NOT develop
STRUCTURALLY but retained their TRADITIONAL nature over 100’s of
years = POPULAR RECREATION (eg MOB FOOTBALL)
Peasants were UNEDUCATED (compulsory schooling >1870), whereas
Upper Classes were educated in elite PUBLIC SCHOOLS
In groups
What were the characteristics of POPULAR RECREATION (eg MOB FOOTBALL)?
- occasional due to free time
- only a few simple unwritten rules
- activity being PARTICIPATION-BASED rather than SPECTATOR-BASED
- physical force rather than skill
- many injuries/violent
- lower class involvement
- LOCAL rather than REGIONAL or NATIONAL events
- limited STRUCTURE , EQUIPMENT and FACILITIES
THE VICTORIAN ERA (1839 – 1901)
When Queen Victoria was on the throne
This era saw major transition in society
Immense contrasts between RICH and POOR
Nation was PROSPEROUS and STABLE
This era coincided with the INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
The Industrial Revolution (1750 – 1850):
Nation underwent URBANISATION
Cramped living and working conditions in towns
Move from AGRICULTURE and COTTAGE (craft
workshops) industries to FACTORIES
Britain seen as WORKSHOP OF THE WORLD
Industrial Revolution c’ntd
Britain was 1st European Country to undergo Industrial Revolution
By middle of 19th C, Britain was WORLD’S LEADING INDUSTRIAL POWER
By 1901: only 10% of its labour force worked in agriculture
¾ of population lived in TOWNS/CITIES
population nearly TREBLED
In pairs: How would this have affected the
working week, recreation, environment?
- Hours being worked (12 hrs/day)
- Women and children working (coal industries)
- Working week (6 days)
- Expectations to attend church on Sun
- Little time for rest and leisure (no MOB FOOTBALL)
- Restricted recreational opportunities/facilities
- Urban squalor (poor health)
- Spoiled landscapes
Industrial Revolution c’ntd
Gradually improvements were made:
- Trade Unions helped
- ½ day Saturdays
- Early closing for shop workers on Wed
- Bank Holiday’s (provision of NATIONALLY recognised
LEISURE TIME)
- Wages increased giving working classes DISPOSABLE income
In pairs: How were these new improvements positive for Sport and Recreation?
- participation in more activities
- Spectator sports and facilities began to develop
- Increased disposable income meant more money to spend on leisure
- On Bank Holidays, people began taking excursions to the country/seaside by train/cycling/foot
- Town and City parks were used for recreational purposes