Status Quo of Leavisism

While reading the ideas of F.R. Leavis on culture, the question that keeps coming up is why?

Why has Leavisism nostalgic approach to culture been accepted for so long? Not to disregard the literary critic who sought a standard of moral enlightenment in 19th century culture (F.R. Leavis), but even as societies evolved, his was the standard into the 1950s. Storey’s catalog of quotes and observations brought several parallels. First of which was British Imperialism, Disraeli’s quote of ‘Two Nations’ (Brainyquote) and finally Gresham’s Law (Storey).

Taking the latter first, Gresham’s Law is an economic term simply put “Bad money drives out good” (Gresham's Law). In a cultural approach as an increase of low culture is more prevalent the value of high culture is displaced, therefore less available. To look at this in terms of ‘Two Nations’ as the economic impact of British Industrialism and Urbanization created a divide in the social classes, the poor being brought into the urban environment as labor and the wealthy aristocracy maintaining their status quo. Placed on a timeline this occurs during the period of British Imperialism. Move this time line further into the mid-20th century, the common thread is Capitalism. There is established social and political change during this period but the “Cultured” were still in place. If you will, ‘Old Money’ dictated the social and political standards that in some way are still prevalent today.

So in answering the why, the same cultural standards that were prevalent in the 1800s are still seen as guidelines into the 1950s. The Rothschild’s and Morgan’s were still influential parts of society which maintained these standards separate from the masses, this gave a default if not a social hierarchy that did not change until the 1960s.

F.R. Leavis. 8 January 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._R._Leavis. 21 January 2012.
Gresham's Law. 14 January 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gresham%27s_law. 20 January 2012.
Storey, John. Cutlural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction, 5th edition. Harlow: Pearson Education, 2009.
Brainyquote. Unk. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/benjamindi134330.html. 20 January 2012.