Most people think Britain was better 50 years ago

More than half of Britons would have preferred to have been born 50 years ago than today, making us one of the most nostalgic nations in the world.

Key factors as to why British people preferred the 1970s were the quality of the environment, that they felt safer on the streets, they believed people were generally happier, and they felt there was less conflict.

In 1975, Margaret Thatcher became the country’s first female leader of a major political party, Britons voted in a referendum to remain in the European Community, the Vietnam war came to an end and Fawlty Towerswas broadcast for the first time.

The Ipsos survey of 30 nations showed that people in France, Belgium and Mexico would also have preferred to have been born in 1975.

The survey of 1,000 Britons – and some 23,000 internationally – found that 52 per cent said they would rather be born in 1975, compared with just 24 per cent who said they preferred today.

Gen Z was the only segment of the population where a bigger proportion (38 per cent) chose 2025 over 1975 (34 per cent). Just under four in 10 (39 per cent) millennials chose 1975 against 28 per cent who picked 2025.

For older generations, Gen X and Baby Boomers, more than half preferred 1975 to 2025. France was the most nostalgic country, with 57 per cent selecting 1975 over 2025, followed by Belgium and Mexico, both on 53 per cent.

Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) said Britain was a happier place in 1975, with just 12 per cent feeling the mood is better right now.

Six in 10 (60 per cent) of Britons said they believed the streets were safer 50 years ago against fewer than one in five (17 per cent) who said it was safer now.

However, there are elements of life that Britons feel are better now. Nearly half (47 per cent) said healthcare is in better shape now (versus 32 per cent who said it was better in 1975).

The public is also more likely to believe that education has improved (42 per cent) rather than deteriorated (35 per cent).

When it comes to our standard of living, Britons are divided. Some 39 per cent said things were better now, whereas 37 per cent said living standards were higher in the mid-1970s, despite the economic problems of the time.

According to Ipsos’s Issues Index, inflation was a top concern for 81 per cent of Britons in 1975 – an issue that, despite its resurgence, ranks much lower today at only 22 per cent.

There is also an economic and political edge to the comparison: 1975 was the last year the basic rate of income tax was raised in the UK, a proposal that Rachel Reeves is considering for her Budget on Nov 26.

Trinh Tu, Ipsos’s UK managing director of public affairs, said: “These results reflect a widespread dissatisfaction with the current direction of our country, a persistent theme in recent years.

“Consequently, when we ask people to compare present times with the past, they perceive a nation that was happier and more secure.

“It’s worth noting that life in 1975 wasn’t all smooth sailing. The economy was struggling, inflation was high, and social tensions were running strong – things that complicate the idea that those years were simply ‘better times’.

“And as always, research like this highlights the distinctive characteristics of each country.

“The British, for instance, are famously protective of our national health service and proud of its achievements.

“Therefore, it’s unsurprising to see the British public acknowledge that healthcare quality is one aspect that has actually improved since 1975.”

[Source: Daily Telegraph]