Total war and its social and economic impact on civilians in Britain and

Germany

Government

Before the war Britain was the leading trading and lending nation with London being
the leading financial centre.

The trading industry was a third larger than Germanys and half again of the USA.

Laissez-faire or free trade was the dominative political and economic system,

The market place was the most efficient means of running the economy.

Civilian population and the whole of nations productive capabilities had to be

employed to win the war.

Civilians had to endure through food droughts, price hikes, and more working hours.

4 days after the war begun the British parliament passed the Defence of Realm act.

DORA gave the government the right to censorship, gaoling citizens without trial,
alcohol and food regulations and the right to commandeer economic resources for the war
effort.

Compromised citizens basic rights and liberties.

DORA ensured that only positive British propaganda could be published, vastly
controlling the British peoples perception of the war.

In 1916 the British government introduced conscription,

Food

The price of many basic food items such as bread, tea, sugar, meat, margarine, bacon,
and butter increased dramatically.

Food shortages were frequent with many shopkeepers keeping the best for their
regular customers.

Governments took over some control of the food industry in 1916 with the
introduction of rationing for meat milk sugar bread and tea.

In February 1917 Lord Devonport, a food controller, told Lloyd George the Prime
Minister profiteering is rife in every commodity bread meat tea butter and the masses
are being exploited right and left
 In 1917 the government took over purchasing, transporting, and distribution for 85%
of the nation.

There was never any threat of famine but the governments system of distribution was
extremely inefficient and led to mass queuing and rioting for food.

Economic warfare was used with naval boats blocking trade routes for the enemy.
This led to food shortages in other countries.

Women

One million women were employed working in munitions for the war effort.

Women employed in what were seen as male jobs such as blacksmiths, bank clerks
and bus conductors.

In 1918 women over the age of thirty were given the rite to vote as recognition for
their war efforts.

Desperate need for staff in an ever depleting British workforce, this lead to increased
opportunities for women and the unemployed in the paid labour force.

In July 1914, almost 212,000 women worked in munitions and engineering. the
number skyrocketed to almost 1 million by the year 1918.

1915 protests, organised by Christabel Pankhurst, in which 30,000 women protested

for their right to server.

Women began to wear more practical clothes as they entered the workforce.

Ms. Millicent Fawcett, president of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies
argued that, the war revolutionised the industrial position of women - it found them serfs
and left them free.'

over 400 female workers died of poisoning from TNT.

Social

Holidays and social activities were extremely reduced with most families having men
in the army, and women working in the ammunition factories.

Very divided society between us and them due to the experience of solidarism and
apartness.

The judiciary and the police were seen as bad by the working class as they werent
seen as being fair.
 Clothes becoming more revealing and social habits bringing smoking in public and
larger drinking habits.

The liquor trade was nationalised with beer becoming half strength and public houses
closing at midday.

Trade Unions

The status of trade unions was improved during war

Immediate need for workers meant that unions could demand higher pay and better
conditions.

trade unions had to reshape and revaluate many of their policies with the introduction
of women

threat of women only unions jeopardising male unions

Peter Adams states, the Home Front idea was a great social leveller and acted as a
stimulus to wider social reform after the war.

the workers were inclined to put in more hours and more effort as part of a national
movement.

The government funded the war effort by increasing income tax substantially.
broke down the barriers between classes, without removing them entirely.

blood sacrifices paid by soldiers both rich and poor meant that England had to become
a land fit for heroes.