In Britain, the decline of the traditional elites that had essentially ruled over the nation was drastic. A number of heirs were killed off during the World War One. As low-ranking officers, they experienced incredibly high death rates during the suicidal assaults on enemy positions. Immediate after the war, new scenarios emerged. These included new taxes on land, which began just before the war; massive sale of land; decline of the prices of farm goods; increasing death duties, from 15% before the war, to 40% though 1930 and higher thereafter; erosion of the local monopoly of politics as more effort and work went into winning an election and serving the people; the influx of middle-class outsiders running for offices, buying up land, and entering into traditional elite professions like the civil service, court and church. Maintaining an elite status and the trappings of the aristocracy-land, a country estate and house in London, an impressive collection of art along with political power-was more difficult to maintain. However, the extremely rich, such as those in Westminster, who owned much of the west side of London, managed to prosper. The elites increasingly shared power with the middle class while the working class continued to clamor for reform.
Figure 10: Highclere Castle, Made Famous by Downton Abbey
In Britain, the working class pushed for increased pay and better working conditions.In short, they wanted better lives. The Strike of 1926 was especially a defining moment for the working class. Over one million miners protested in 1926, demanding better working conditions by claiming that the pay then did not better their living conditions. However, the strike collapsed after two weeks and a legislation was formulated to limit “sympathy strikes” and the overall power of unions and the working class to protest. Still, the demands were made clear. Despite these actions, British politics was still dominated by Conservative rule. Only between 1924-1925 and 1929-31 did the Labour government hold political power yet little was done to improve the lives of workers.
France, with a smaller traditional elite class (many had been killed off or fled during the Revolution), dealt with a rising rightist party. Most of the elite class had been killed while others fled off during the Revolution. People belonging to Action Française favored a unified France accomplished through highlighting the importance of Catholicism and linking religion with the state. Many were anti-Semitic, most of whom were from the lower-middle class, who feared the increased competition from the big businesses which they associated with the international Jewish merchants. Additionally, many of the party members were teachers, librarians or other white collar workers who desired a return to the vague past, including a stronger church and monarchy. However, it never succeeded in entering the mainstream French politics.
Further pushing people to extremist views, was an unstable parliamentary government. The government struggled to repay the wartime debt and was slow to raise taxes. Moreover, any tax increase was focused on the lower middle class.
