Research into the impact of the First World War on European societies has recently begun on a major scale and Dr Waites has been one of the pioneers in this field in Britain. His book considers the War's effects on such major issues as popular images of class, the distribution of income and wealth in society, social relations within the working class, class consciousness and the educational experiences of children from different backgrounds. This study is noteworthy not only for its wide range of hitherto unpublished sources, but also for its attempt to bring social theory to bear upon the study of class relations in England during the first of this century's total wars.
Preface
1. Warfare and Social Structure in Social Theory and Social History: the Case of the First World War
2. The Language and Imagery of 'Class'
3. Income, Wealth and Social Class in England 1914-24
4. The Effects of the First World War on the Economic and Social Structure of the Working Class: Wages and Skills
5. The Effects of the First World War on the Economic and Social Structure of the Working Class: Standards of Life
6. Class Awareness, Class Consciousness and the War on the Home Front: Industrial Workers
7. The Class Awareness and Class Consciousness of 'Servile' and Black-coated Workers
8. Secondary Education and Social Class
9. Summary and Conclusions
Bibliography
Index
