The Satire Boom: Imperial Decline and the Rise of the Everyday Elite

Abstract

This chapter examines the ‘satire boom’ in the 50s and 60s which saw popular Oxbridge review style acts like Beyond the Fringe achieve national and international fame with an elevated style of humour. Subjects included the nature of War, the relevance of language philosophy, the class system and the rise of radical political agendas like socialism and anti-colonial struggles. The style of comedy also allowed for a re-orientation of satire to focus on politics and politician; lampooning them for their stupidity, or their corrupt nature in manner that gained massive public interest. A new kind of upper class, educated satire, with incisive political critique and bon mots, was erected. Despite the tendency of satire to challenge and critique accepted political hierarchies, i.e. empire, the class structure, and government, many argue that we must recognise how closely the satirists themselves resembled their target. These were satires of the British elite that came from within: a select group of white males, often private school and Oxbridge educated, with a certain post-imperial world view.