Who wanted to be polite? Why? When? What ideas replaced this?
Are you talking about the rise of a "polite" society? As in how individuals functioned and interacted with each other in a civil manner?
hi! Other input is welcome, but just fyi, there have been a couple of earlier posts on British culture that can hopefully get you started
How and when did the British get there stereotype of being gentleman and all that - featuring /u/banal_penetration