Which was the best decade in the UK?

The 2020s. We have electric cars, you can order anything you want from your weekly shop or a takeaway to a new wardrobe on your phone to be delivered to your door, office work can be done remotely and society is broadly more tolerant than at any point in the past.

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Real23Phil@reddit

Only been here since the 80's, but I say the 90's.

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Careless_Soup_109@reddit

The one we are in. Why? Not because of guff about optimism.

Because we see the state of things, and now , we can learn to reach within ourselves.

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BadBacksFuryToad@reddit

1990s.

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brushfuse@reddit

Objectively, the 60’s followed by the 90’s. Optimism, growth, and an explosion in awesome culture; a general feeling that society was moving together in a better direction.

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TTNNBB2023@reddit

Objectively, the 60’s followed by the 90’s

Not everybody experienced the 60s the same, it was great if you were in a city like London or Manchester, less so if were living in a pit village in the north east.

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brushfuse@reddit

People did have the opportunity to persue it, if it appealed to them. Lots of celebs for example left their towns and villages and ended up in Liverpool, Manchester or London. My Mum arrived in London on Monday and walked straight into a job on Thursday. The workforce held all the cards and businesses were desperate for employees.

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Available-Toe-7096@reddit

I’d be inclined to say that the opportunism that you’re referencing only applied to London. I think if you were to speak to scousers, outside of Beatles-mania, I don’t think 1960s Liverpool would’ve been a particularly great place to reside, or any city in the north for that matter. London took off globally, and to a much lesser extent Birmingham. But the northern cities didn’t see anything of the sort until the 90s.

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bloodgutsandpunkrock@reddit

I would imagine it depended on what you wanted from life. There was certainly a decline in industry, there would have been a lot of unemployment based around the docks slowly closing etc.

However, culturally Liverpool was probably at its peak, opportunities for those in the arts and entertainment were never higher, the Beatles obviously brought a lot of eyes to the city, but they were just the tip of the iceberg. It's thought that anything up to 500 bands were working regularly throughout the late fifties and sixties on Merseyside alone, this in turn brought in work for comedians and entertainers, as well as opportunities from the business side, management, agents, journalists etc. Fashion and art would have also got huge boosts from the attention the city was getting, making it a thriving cultural hub.

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brushfuse@reddit

Wish I could time travel. Wild times!

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brushfuse@reddit

True, it totally depends what you persue. I would have been drawn to the gigs because I’m obsessed with music and dancing and partying. For the person depressed that they have been laid off and just heads down the local pub, I’m sure Liverpool felt much more grim. I really enjoyed visiting the Cavern club even though it’s obviously a bit of a tourist trap now.

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bloodgutsandpunkrock@reddit

That's a huge thing that no one considers. I come from a small nowhere town, and at 18 years old or whatever simply couldn't just pack a bag and move to London, it wasn't feasible in any way, shape or form and I would have likely been homeless or on the train home within a week. That was twenty years ago and that has only become even more of a pipedream for 18 year olds now.

Like you say, in the fifties, sixties probably even into the very early nineties this was more than possible, just pack a bag and see where life takes you. So many of our most famous actors, singers, comedians etc from the twentieth century's stories start this way. Grew up in the back end of nowhere, packed a bag as soon as they were old enough, found a room and a job and the rest is history.

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brushfuse@reddit

Absolutely, and even if it didn’t work out, it would have been an adventure whilst it lasted. Sometimes it’s worth the risk to take that big leap. I followed my own dream and I don’t regret it for a single second.

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escapingfromelba@reddit

Or frankly in places like London or Manchester if you had no central heating or even an inside toilet.

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Racing_Fox@reddit

Why objectively the 60s?

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brushfuse@reddit

Anyone who lived through the bleak grey oppression and classism that was still so prevalent before the 60’s would tell you that it was a fundamental sea change in all aspects of society. It wasn’t a ‘perfect time,’ of course, but the societal change was rapid and radical. More rights, more freedom, and a new dawn in terms of culture and moirés.

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escapingfromelba@reddit

There's a trope that the 60s didn't happen for most people until the 70s. And that's a strong element of truth in it as only small numbers were involved in the scenes that documentaries love to fixate on etc.

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brushfuse@reddit

Probably a healthy amount of truth in that, however, media was also evolving. Imagine being a young person questioning their sexuality and then suddenly Top Of The Pops on your home’s first TV you’re seeing Glam artists in spandex flamboyantly dancing and dropping more than a hint that they’re not all batting for the same team. It would have been so liberating. Imagine watching the Avengers or Star Trek opening the door to women and minorities. It was a heady time to grow up for sure. My Mum was kind of scared of the whole thing so she missed out, but my Dad was obsessed with music and bought all the records.

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geeered@reddit

I'm jealous of my parents having lived through those times because it felt their belief and optimism for a better world was justified.

But also - there was still a whole lot that would be considered utterly unacceptable today.

Though, I also did have some of that naivety as a teenager in the 90s - iron curtain crumbling, channel tunnel bringing us closer to Europe, computer technology improving connection with the world exponentially.

Now of course we're back to a (smaller) iron curtain, a hotter war with the (new) Soviet state, taken a step back from Europe, populism rising.

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brushfuse@reddit

I really believe at the heart of all of society’s current ills is the greed of a tiny number of mega wealthy capitalists and corrupt players who will do anything to keep the status quo, including funding hate and promoting it through media acquisition. The populists are simply bought and churning out what their paymasters tell them.

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Racing_Fox@reddit

Ah ok, sounds more subjective to me personally.

Having not lived either (well, I was alive in the 90s but can’t really say I lived it) I’d personally place the 90s above the 60s given the similar feelings of hope that were present but linked with better working conditions, and the fact the Cold War was over, the Berlin Wall had fallen. The world itself was in a position where geopolitically it was looking as though democracy was winning and hope was high.

Though, it’s also closer to the times I actually lived but with much fewer issues so perhaps I’m biased aha

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Nomis1982@reddit

90s

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dbxp@reddit

1880s perhaps, post Napoleon, empire at its height

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CarpeCyprinidae@reddit

for most, the 90's, because we had all the cool stuff from the 60s plus security, brilliant economy and at least some modern stuff.

For the LGBT population, though, any historical period probably would be worse then today

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escapingfromelba@reddit

That's a selective memory as the 1990 recession was something like two years with interest rates passing 15% as the UK fought to stay inside the ERM, which caused homes to be repossessed on such a scale that the state now intervenes. Plus unemployment got to 10% iirc.

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Mr-Thursday@reddit

For the LGBT population, though, any historical period probably would be worse than today

Trans rights have definitely gone backwards in the last five years or so since right wing media and politicians started using them as a hate figure and trans people's access to sports and social clubs, NHS treatment, domestic violence shelters, and even bathrooms has been drastically cut.

I'd say the 2010s was a better decade for them.

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escapingfromelba@reddit

When I was about 17, just as it was for most people I reckon. What I mean by that is "best" usually comes down to rose tinted glasses and lots of selective history that typically links back to being young.

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Past_Hunt_8222@reddit

90’s and then Blair came along

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Additional-Nobody352@reddit

The 00s upto 2008 were pretty good. Went down hill after that.

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GuybrushFunkwood@reddit

90s. It was so full of optimism, technology was getting good but not all consuming, music was (on the whole) really good ….. country heading into the year 2000 just felt like anything was possible. I’m so glad I was able to experience it.

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paulridby@reddit

I’m so glad I was able to experience it.

Me too, but sad at the same time that we probably won't get to live in such a positive period ever again

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ZedLeppelinnn@reddit

The one you turned 18 in

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LaidBackLeopard@reddit

I get your point, but I turned 18 in the 80s. Nope.

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nonoanddefinitelyno@reddit

Also turned 18 in the 80s and it is for me, by far, the best decade.

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Racing_Fox@reddit

Hard disagree. The 2010s were a shitshow. Almost as bad as the 2020s

2012 was probably the only good year in that, the olympics really helped but it all fell to pieces afterwards

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gazmbuku@reddit

2012 was like a high water mark for this century and just seems to have gone down hill dramatically since. Super Saturday at the Olympics was the actual peak. The data don't lie

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Apple_Master@reddit

1060

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mhoulden@reddit

Judging by a lot of nostalgia groups, it was the decade leading up to your 18th birthday.

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likelivewirevoodoo@reddit

This is just another way of asking 'in which decades were you 20-35 years old

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swordoftruth1963@reddit

It's always the one where you reached your 20s

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Sea_Pomegranate8229@reddit

For who?

'60s were good in parts if you were a middle class heterosexual white male.

'90s were good in parts if you were heterosexual and white

2000s were good for me because I had money and health [well I was in my 40s]

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Important_Ruin@reddit

Whenever COD4 was out.

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PanNationalistFront@reddit

For which part?

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nuthatch_282@reddit

The decade when Stonehenge was built

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Kiss_It_Goodbyeee@reddit

Best in terms of what? You'll definitely get a strong bias to decades that people on here lived through.

I'd argue the 1860s were huge for the UK. Signifiant cultural and scientific changes moving into a modern era. Huge growth of manufacturing and expansion of the Empire with an influential Queen. No major wars. The UK was the centre of the world.

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JedsBike@reddit

I think we’re all just being a bit nostalgic when we say the 90’s.

I do have good memories of it though. A simpler time, but had its hardships.

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Metrobolist3@reddit

Probably whatever one you were about 21 years old during.

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MusaCFC@reddit

1653 until 1663. I remember it like it was only 100 years ago 🥹.

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Important_Apricot950@reddit

God bless Cromwell

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tmr89@reddit

1870s

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_Monsterguy_@reddit

Life expectancy was under 45.

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tmr89@reddit

Because of high childhood mortality, but it doesn’t mean adults all died at 45. If you were well off it was good

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_Monsterguy_@reddit

A third of people not making it to 5 years old doesn't scream "THE 1870s WERE GREAT!"

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tmr89@reddit

That’s a row back. I’m saying it’s great if you were well off and an adult

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DJ_Beardsquirt@reddit

Not sure if you're being facetious, but 1870s is an interesting pick. Britain was approaching the height of global power, but that decade also saw the start of the long depression, so the economy was quite rough at home.

If we can pick a decade in the 19th Century, I would argue 1850s would have been batshit insane to live through. Crimean War, Indian Mutiny, Crystal Palace, explosion of railways and telegraph, booming economy, massive industrialisation in Liverpool and Manchester.

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tmr89@reddit

Wasn’t being facetious, just picked brcause it was close to the height of the empire

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TheEnglishNorwegian@reddit

90's through 00's were decent. It took a while for the 00's to become shit and 2004 was a goated year for gaming with your friends.

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_Monsterguy_@reddit

If we're not sticking to actual decades, then 1997-2007.
As close to now as you can get, without the economy being fucked.

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Dolgar01@reddit

The best decade was whichever one the commentator was a teenager/young adult in. Because to them, it was the best time to be alive.

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TinyAsianMachine@reddit

Imo as a millennial that wasn't alive for most of this. In order 90s 80s 00s 70s 10s 60s 20s 50s 40s

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Final_Remains@reddit

The 50s were the birth of the teenager and rock n roll... How on Earth can that be considered worse than the 10s?

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_Monsterguy_@reddit

Because it was much worse.
Rationing didn't end until 1954,
Polio and tuberculosis were common,
Smog,
Racism, colonialism,
LGBT persecution and prosecution,
Misogyny, "love, cherish, and to obey",
Domestic violence, martial rape, Average life expectancy for a man was 66 and 71 for women.

The 50s were shit.

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TinyAsianMachine@reddit

I seemed to think the country would be fucked from WW2 but it seems it was wrong.

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Final_Remains@reddit

oh, it was, but our pop culture often seems to better the more fucked and struggling we are as a country.

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Racing_Fox@reddit

I assume you mean 1910/1920s?

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dread1961@reddit

The 70s. Great music, easy sex, cheap drugs, young kids played out all day, older kids were down the pub. Massive economic downturn meant no jobs so freedom to pick up your dole, make a bit extra on the fiddle and party every day. Then Thatcher ruined it all.

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R0gu3tr4d3r@reddit

85-95

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Ok_Boss_9270@reddit

For me it's the 20s because I never grew up with a dog and now in my 30s I have one and she's the best thing ever.

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LilacScentedStoat@reddit

70s... Inwas born, so dont remember them much.

80s were great as a young kid. Didn't have a care in the world. Massive fields to play in, old factories to explore, quarries with piles of stones to jump on and slide down etc. dont remember any litter or broken glass or dog filth etc.

90s were also good, i turned 16, 18 and 20 in the 90s. British music, girls, raves, discovering mind altering substances. Tech and games, mobiles, movies.

00s adulthood hit... Work.. work.. work

10s, got married and divorced and then my kid came along.

20s why am i suddenly old? and what is Spotify anyway? and why am i shaking my fist at clouds now dangnabbit?

Im voting 90s..

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Final_Remains@reddit

In terms of pop culture? or generally? I ask because I would say the 70s were shite in the UK generally, but pretty amazing for pop culture etc.

I will answer just in terms of pop culture, best down to worse...

1960s
1990s
1980s
1970s
1950s
2000s
2010s
2020s

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Weird-Foundation-444@reddit

Not a native (I didn't move here until recently), but I feel that the UK's soft power peaked in the 90s and 00s (ignoring the 60s and 70s), and has been on a decline since then.

Trip hop, Jungle/DnB, breakbeat and trance were EVERYWHERE, and then there was Harry Potter. We will never experience something similar again. Do you guys know that the midnight launches were broadcasted around the world? That was insane.

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