By Julian Joyce BBC News We're more tolerant now there's little stigma attached to unwed mothers and homosexuality. But attitudes are hardening towards immigrants and the poor.
By Julian Joyce BBC News We're more tolerant now there's little stigma attached to unwed mothers and homosexuality. But attitudes are hardening towards immigrants and the poor.
As little as two decades ago, many Britons frowned on sex before marriage, single mothers and gay people.
As little as two decades ago, many Britons frowned on sex before marriage, single mothers and gay people.
When the first British Social Attitudes report in 1983 came out, three-quarters of those surveyed said they thought that homosexuality was wrong, and more than half frowned on premarital sex.
When the first British Social Attitudes report in 1983 came out, three-quarters of those surveyed said they thought that homosexuality was wrong, and more than half frowned on premarital sex.
The latest survey by the National Centre for Social Research shows that our views on relationships and same-sex partnerships are increasingly liberal. Co-habitation is as much the norm as marriage. Divorce is seen as better for children than warring parents. And gay people have fought long and hard for acceptance.
The latest survey by the National Centre for Social Research shows that our views on relationships and same-sex partnerships are increasingly liberal. Co-habitation is as much the norm as marriage. Divorce is seen as better for children than warring parents. And gay people have fought long and hard for acceptance.
It is possible to be very liberal about gay people, while not liking people from another race Chris Creegan, survey author But there is no corresponding shift in attitudes towards immigrants and the poor.
It is possible to be very liberal about gay people, while not liking people from another race Chris Creegan, survey author But there is no corresponding shift in attitudes towards immigrants and the poor.
This begs the question: can we be simultaneously tolerant and intolerant? Chris Creegan, one of the report's authors, believes that we pick and choose who to approve or disapprove of. We tend to like those with whom we have regular contact, and be less understanding of those whom we don't.
This begs the question: can we be simultaneously tolerant and intolerant? Chris Creegan, one of the report's authors, believes that we pick and choose who to approve or disapprove of. We tend to like those with whom we have regular contact, and be less understanding of those whom we don't.
"This means it is possible to be very liberal about, for example, gay people, while at the same time not liking people from another race," he says.
"This means it is possible to be very liberal about, for example, gay people, while at the same time not liking people from another race," he says.
To have friends, colleagues and neighbours who are single mothers or openly gay is commonplace now; but those surviving on benefits, for example, lead increasingly separate lives as the gap between the haves and the have-nots widens.
To have friends, colleagues and neighbours who are single mothers or openly gay is commonplace now; but those surviving on benefits, for example, lead increasingly separate lives as the gap between the haves and the have-nots widens.
At home or in the Third World?While one-third of the 3,000 people surveyed still believe that poverty is "an inevitable part of modern life", a rising number lay the blame squarely on the poor themselves - 27% think that poverty is due to "laziness or lack of willpower", up from 19% in 1984.
Separate livesWhile one-third of the 3,000 people surveyed still believe that poverty is "an inevitable part of modern life", a rising number lay the blame squarely on the poor themselves - 27% think that poverty is due to "laziness or lack of willpower", up from 19% in 1984.
Just as the main political parties shift towards the centre, so too are the attitudes of the populace. Causes once championed by the left, such as taxing the rich to give to the poor, are losing support. Only a third support higher taxes on the better-off to tackle poverty, compared to nearly half of those asked the same question in 1995.
Just as the main political parties shift towards the centre, so too are the attitudes of the populace. Causes once championed by the left, such as taxing the rich to give to the poor, are losing support. Only a third support higher taxes on the better-off to tackle poverty, compared to nearly half of those asked the same question in 1995.
Similarly 30% describe themselves as "very or a little prejudiced" against people of other races. Although this is lower that the 34% who admitted prejudice in 1984, it represented a 5% rise on 2001.
Similarly 30% describe themselves as "very or a little prejudiced" against people of other races. Although this is lower that the 34% who admitted prejudice in 1984, it represented a 5% rise on 2001.
Mr Creegan believes that the al-Qaeda attacks of 11 September 2001 have contributed to the rise in racial prejudice, as has the increase in immigrants over the past seven years.
Mr Creegan believes that the al-Qaeda attacks of 11 September 2001 have contributed to the rise in racial prejudice, as has the increase in immigrants over the past seven years.
Familiarity
Familiarity
Not even those who put together the report agree about how tolerant a nation we are today. In these enlightened times, there is considerable discomfort about the idea that there is a sizable minority who remain intolerant of others.
Not even those who put together the report agree about how tolerant a nation we are today. In these enlightened times, there is considerable discomfort about the idea that there is a sizable minority who remain intolerant of others.
ATTITUDE SHIFT 6% think equal opportunities for people with disabilities "gone too far"36% believe similar measures for black and Asian people are excessive The director of the report, Alison Park, says it is not so much selective liberalism as a core group of people who continue to dislike those different from themselves.
ATTITUDE SHIFT 6% think equal opportunities for people with disabilities "gone too far"36% believe similar measures for black and Asian people are excessive The director of the report, Alison Park, says it is not so much selective liberalism as a core group of people who continue to dislike those different from themselves.
"I bet if we crunched the numbers we would now find a huge overlap between people who don't like gays and people who admit to racial prejudice," she says.
"I bet if we crunched the numbers we would now find a huge overlap between people who don't like gays and people who admit to racial prejudice," she says.
"The ceiling of anti-gay prejudice was always bound to come down because so many people disapproved of homosexuality. Conversely, the number of people admitting racial prejudice has stayed stable at a floor of about 30%."
"The ceiling of anti-gay prejudice was always bound to come down because so many people disapproved of homosexuality. Conversely, the number of people admitting racial prejudice has stayed stable at a floor of about 30%."
Professor Peter Taylor-Gooby, who helped research attitudes to poverty in the report, disagrees. He believes that there is a real and growing prejudice against the poor by supposedly liberal people.
Professor Peter Taylor-Gooby, who helped research attitudes to poverty in the report, disagrees. He believes that there is a real and growing prejudice against the poor by supposedly liberal people.
"Things have changed since the 1970s when there was more consensus amongst liberals and socialists over who to oppose and who to defend," he says.
"Things have changed since the 1970s when there was more consensus amongst liberals and socialists over who to oppose and who to defend," he says.
"Now society is far more chaotic and diverse. The gap between rich and poor has grown wider. This increasing inequality leads to increasing prejudice."
At home or in the Third World?"Now society is far more chaotic and diverse. The gap between rich and poor has grown wider. This increasing inequality leads to increasing prejudice."
He points to recent research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies that shows greater equality for those on middle incomes, while those at the bottom of the pay scale have not shared in the nation's growing wealth. At the same time, those at the top have seen their incomes rocket.
He points to recent research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies that shows greater equality for those on middle incomes, while those at the bottom of the pay scale have not shared in the nation's growing wealth. At the same time, those at the top have seen their incomes rocket.
"Some people with particular skills have benefited from the opening up of world markets; but unskilled people have seen their wages driven down," says Professor Taylor-Gooby.
"Some people with particular skills have benefited from the opening up of world markets; but unskilled people have seen their wages driven down," says Professor Taylor-Gooby.
Marry this with decreasing social mobility - the ability of poor people to move up through the social scale - and you have a recipe for prejudice.
Marry this with decreasing social mobility - the ability of poor people to move up through the social scale - and you have a recipe for prejudice.
"In terms of attitudes, what this means is that as the gap widens, so the poor are increasingly seen as 'the other'", said Professor Taylor-Gooby.
"In terms of attitudes, what this means is that as the gap widens, so the poor are increasingly seen as 'the other'", said Professor Taylor-Gooby.
And it is those different from the majority who have long found themselves the target of disapproval. It is just that the groups seen as different change over time.
And it is those different from the majority who have long found themselves the target of disapproval. It is just that the groups seen as different change over time.
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