Permission and Regulation: Law and Morals in Post-War Britain

Tim Newburn

Sep 2026 · Taylor & Francis

Ebook

242

Pages

Eligible

About this ebook

First published in 1992, Permission and Regulation examines the period known as “the permissive age”: the 1960s. Perhaps more than any other decade in history, the 1960s have generated seemingly imperishable myths. This book seeks to separate myth from reality by focusing on a series of legislative changes commonly held to illustrate the permissive or liberal character of the era. Through central case studies examining the law in relation to abortion, obscenity, homosexuality, and prostitution, the volume casts doubt on the view propounded by politicians and moralists that such changes indicated moral relaxation and increasing sexual license.

This work argues that the ideology of permissiveness requires close examination and analyzes the campaigns of Mary Whitehouse to pinpoint how this ideology was constructed, applied, and challenged. The final chapter compares the permissive era to the moral politics of the Thatcher decade.

Challenging and informative, this book will be of interest to students of social history, sociology, gender studies, and politics.

First published in 1992, Permission and Regulation examines the period known as “the permissive age”: the 1960s. Perhaps more than any other decade in history, the 1960s have generated seemingly imperishable myths. This book seeks to separate myth from reality by focusing on a series of legislati...

Discover more

About the author

Tim Newburn is Professor of Criminology and Social Policy at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he has been based since 2002. He served as Head of the Department of Social Policy from 2010 to 2013 and as Director of the Mannheim Centre for Criminology from 2003 to 2009. Before joining LSE, he held the position of Joseph Rowntree Professor of Urban Social Policy at Goldsmiths, University of London, and served as Director of the Public Policy Research Unit from 1997 to 2002. His research expertise encompasses a wide range of areas, including policing, restorative justice, youth justice, drugs and alcohol policy, comparative policy making, and urban violence.

Tim Newburn is Professor of Criminology and Social Policy at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he has been based since 2002. He served as Head of the Department of Social Policy from 2010 to 2013 and as Director of the Mannheim Centre for Criminology from 2003 to 2009. Before joining LS...

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets

Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.

Laptops and computers

You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.

eReaders and other devices

To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.

Flag as inappropriate