Abstract
One could argue that World War One did not have a huge impact on British society compared to the Second World War. However, the conflict was soon called the ‘Great War' in Britain, and it was the first time that the whole society was involved in the war effort. A new type of war had reached Europe: the ‘total war'. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that every component of British society was actually altered by the war. Thus, the essay will assess the major impacts of the conflict on Britain, starting with the effects on politics and then on the economy. Finally, it will look at the aftermath on the society itself. Before the war broke out, the political landscape was widely dominated by two main parties, the Liberals and the Conservatives. The Labour was playing a very limited role at that time. By the beginning of the war, the Liberals were in power, Asquith being Prime Minister. The Conservatives and even some Liberals soon criticized him for not properly leading the war e.g. because of the dramatic shortage of shells.
