ABSTRACT
The 1930s in Great Britain were years of devastating economic problems. With the jobless rate rising from about 10.5 per cent in 1929 to over 22 per cent by 1932, and with the number of unemployed shifting between two and three million for much of the decade, those without positions faced grim prospects. Those fortunate enough to be employed could feel little security in the permanence of their jobs, and many workers derived little comfort from solutions proposed by politicians. After the National Government was formed in 1931, the decision to reduce unemployment benefits disappointed many among the working classes; critics complained that the government had little or no policy direction and was confused, unresponsive, and uncertain in its approach to the crisis. While the British economy began to recover by about 1933, which ultimately led to a material improvement for the working classes later in the decade, the continuing unemployment problem provided a gloomy perception of British conditions. As Walter Arnstein has written, 'prolonged and unrelenting unemployment put a lasting mark upon those British workingmen who experienced it,' leaving them with a 'sense of frustration and futility.' 1 Yet surprisingly little domestic unrest was observed among the working classes. A partial solution to this paradox may be found in the institution of the neighborhood cinemas and in the comforting social services provided by their managers.
