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3 Episodes 2020 - 2020
Episode 1
59 mins
Andrew Marr examines the way Britain went from a rigid, deferential, hierarchical, patriarchal and class-obsessed society in the 1950s toward a more liberal, inclusive, egalitarian society in the latter part of the Queen's reign. It is the story of the permissive society, of changing attitudes toward homosexuality, sexuality, gender and race, of a breaking down of class barriers and the growing equality won by women in the workplace. But it isn't an unfettered story of positivity and progress. Many liberties have been won at a cost and in the face of fierce criticism. This program takes in both sides of that debate: the liberal victories of the 'permissive society' as well as the ferocious backlash of middle England at the perceived erosion of family values.
Episode 2
59 mins
Andrew looks at how New Elizabethans have sought to come to terms with Britain's decline as a world power since 1952, projecting British values and influence abroad, ensuring Britain's relevance at a time when so much seems to be slipping away.
Episode 3
59 mins
Andrew looks at one of the greatest challenges faced by modern Elizabethans: the loss of Britain's manufacturing heartlands and the surprising impact it has had on the state of the nation. To tell this story, he selects a rich cast of characters who have - in his estimation - responded to the challenges and found ingenious ways of adapting to the changing industrial landscape. When the Queen ascended the throne in 1952, the country she inherited could still be defined by its manufacturing bases: Sheffield steel, Cornish tin, Welsh coal and Clyde-built ships. Britain in 1952 was, after all, still one of the workshops of the world, if no longer the primary one. Manufacturing accounted for a third of everything that Britain produced, and employed around four in ten of all British workers. Britain turned out a quarter of the entire world's manufacturing exports. But over the next 40 years, all that would change.