1929-39 (DOMESTIC) Flashcards
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
problems for Labour to deal with in 1929
• Unemployment is still an issue
• Due to being a minotity (Lib held balence of power) Gov they can’t pursuit Socialist agender or be too radical as cival service + press would object to it, this made some ministers sad
• WALL STREET CRASH so eco is very bad (Heavy industry in decline since post war), They are still however commited to free trade
• The fear of Socialism is still in the air so everyone is watching Labour closely
• Invisible exports (Services) profit dependent on £ being stable for it to help eco
• Due to minority gov, hard to pass coherant set of reforms without Libs butting in
• loans from USA same as Germany so have to pay back despite nobody can afford
• MacDonald is overall less radical anyway
• if eco continues to Decline a new Nat gov may be needed
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Housing Act 1930
Arthur Greenwood
House building + Slum Clearing schemes
700,000 homes produced :D
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Unemployment Insurance act 1930
Undoes the cuts to Unemployment benift that the torys made
Removed the “genuinly seeking work” clause in the criteria
However there was still a large rise in Unemployment
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Road Traffic Act 1930
Removed the 30mph speed limit (untill 1934) as everyone ignored it
Highway code introduced
Driving offences introduced: e.g. Drink Driving
Driving tests Introduced
Busses and Coaches are more regulated
Act extended in 1934
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
London Transport Bill 1931
Trams, busses and Underground is now under 1 public authority
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Agraculture and Coal mines act 1930
Increaced state control over productions
extended in 1930s
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Trades disputes act 1927 [Failed]
(reversal?)
would make general strikes Illegal
was defeated by Libs and Torys in HoC
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Education Bill [Failed]
would have raised school leaving age to 15
Feb 1931 rejected by HoL
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Wall st Crash and Depression impact on Labour
Dec 1930 Unemployment = 2.5 million
Exports fall from £730 million in 1929 to £390 million in 1931
Further hurts Stapel industrys especialy ship building
World trade drops from $68,646 million to $26,600 million
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
How did Snowden (Chancellor of the Exchequer) do to help eco in Depression and Wall st.?
3 options to help balence the buget and fix the economy:
• Nationalisation and Efficiancy measuring (To reduce overproduction)
• Public works (To create jobs)
• End free trade and sig increase Gov intervention
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Snowden trys to Help Eco
• reduce Overproduction
Coal mines act 1930
Nationalisation after gov subsides ended in 1926
National regulation of Production, suply and sale of Coal
Coaleries are divided between 21 districts that report to the National Central Council that Set Quotas and Minimum Prices
7 ½ Hour working Day
BUT
Gov fears more efficient industry would result in fewer workers and increase unemployment
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Snowden Trys to help Eco
• Reduce Overproduction
Agricultural Marketing act 1931
Any agricultural producer has the right to set up a marketing board
they are used to regulate prices and production
The aim of this was to create efficient farming and maintain prices
BUT
It was only ever used once by Hop marketing board in 1932
It raised hops paid by brewers by 70%
The Brewers refused to pay the prices and they went down by 1934
The policy can’t deal with unemployment and falling trade therefore it was not successful at fixing the economy
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Snowden tries to Help Eco
• Public works (to create jobs)
Development loan and Colonial loan act 1929
£42 million go to funding Public works at home and across the empire
e.g. fund council house building in slum clearance
BUT
The Chancellor of the exchecker Snowdon loved balancing the budget
but
refused to extend public borrowing for large scale schemes
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Snowden trys to help Eco
• Direct Gov intervention to eco
Moseley Memorandum Feb 1930
The Moseley memorandum 1930
This proposed public works (especially on roads) were to be paid for by accepting a deficit in public finances
Reorganise Gov
A special Department under the Pm
to take control of Eco Resorces
+ Industry protected by Tariff
Pensions at age 60 now, Cuts the Workforce and raises The School Leaving age
BUT
Very Mixed interms of Policy:
Tariffs - Very Conservitive ( + against Lab policy to keep food cheap)
State control of industry is socialist
Public works - very Lib and threatens £ and unbalences buget
Pensions - very Labour
Due to having so much stuff in this memorandum, it was too much for labour cabinet
The Moseley memorandum was therefore rejected by Snowden as he believed state control was dangerous
The pension minister J.H. Thomas who was also moseley’s boss said that it would cost too much
After being rejected moseley create a new party on the basis of British fascism as he very much liked Mussolini who was a fascist
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
• European Banking Crisis 1931
In the spring of 1931 the major banks of Austria, Germany and Geneva crashed
Initially British and French Banks assisted with loans until July where they couldn’t lend any more as they couldn’t afford it
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
• the May committee July 1931
In July 1931 the all-party may commission
(which had been created to investigate how to deal with the financial problems)
Stated that by April 1932 there would be a balance of payments deficit (debt) of £120 million
They recommended to balance this there should be significant cuts in public spending such as:
• teacher salaries to be cut by 20% saving £13 million
• police and armed forces salaries to be cut by 12.5% and 10% respectively saving £9 million
• cut the unemployment benefit by 20% which would save £66 million
benefits should be limited to 26 weeks in one year
and a means test introduced
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
• The Reaction to The May Commitee being published in July 1931
Foreign and domestic Banks were concerned the British economy was going to go bankrupt and started to withdraw money
As Britain was still on the gold standard, investors ask for their money to be in gold
by the end of July 1931 almost ¼ of the bank of England’s Gold Reserve had been used
£33 million in gold was Paid out by the Bank in the last 2 weeks of July
To combat thid the government asked for loans to prevent a banking collapse
Investors only agreed to this if cuts were made to public spending
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Snowden and Labour’s Problems by Aug 1931
• Unemployment was almost 3 million, and due to the unemployment insurance act 1930, the cost of unemployment benefit had drastically increased
by April the debt of the unemployment insurance fund was at £90 million and increasing
• the cost of public work schemes had gone from £70 million to £140 million
• income tax had increased to 22.5%
• Snowdon wants loans from France in the USA to stabilise the economy however they only agree if they cut public spending (esspecialy Unemployment Benefit)
Labour things this policy is terrible as it would make the working class suffer who labour is meant to represent
The trade union leader Bevin believes that they should follow the ideas of John Maynard Keynes who thinks the government should make no cuts
but increase public spending and works to stimulate the economy
However everybody fought that Keynes was two radical and crazy so nobody paid attention to him
Keynes also thought they shouldn’t be on the gold standard
Ramsey MacDonald [1929-31]
Divisions and Fall of the Labour Party in 1931 August
• MacDonald Decided to Agree to Snowden’s Buget cuts to Get USA and France loans to help the Eco recover after Wall st. Crash and Depression, even if it would Alienate the Working Class who support them
• the cabinet agrees to cut back spending by £56 million not including a cut in unemployment benefit
• Snowden and MacDonald insisted on a cut of £78 million which would include the unemployment benefit in order to get the loans and remain on the gold standard
• Henderson believes that the government should resign rather than impose unemployment benefit cuts
• therefore Henderson and MacDonald were both convinced that the other was betraying important labour ideals
They were the two most senior figures in the party and neither of them liked the other
• on the 22nd of August 1931 a final vote was taken in the cabinet
11-9 in favour of the £78 million cut
• despite this on the 23rd of August 1931 MacDonald informed the king that his government was divided and could not agree to this cut of £78 million
Preparations were then made for a resignation of the government and the creation of a national government (due to being in crisis)
Ramsey MacDonald, Nat Gov [1931-35]
Was MacDonald a traitor?
On the 24th of August 1931
MacDonald went to Buckingham Palace and handed in his resignation of the Labour government to King George V
• he stepped out of Buckingham Palace as prime minister of a coalition government
• everybody fought that he had betrayed as party and his class by agreeing to remain as prime minister in the new government
• due to this only Snowden and Thomas agreed to serve in the new national government
• however MacDonald, Snowden and Thomas were all expelled from the labour party as traitors!
Ramsey MacDonald, Nat Gov [1931-35]
Why on earth was the national government created and how on Earth did MacDonald remain Prime Minister?
• The king had decided not to solve the issue of the economy with divisions such as Ireland pre ww1
But with unity like in ww1
There are 3 theories of why the government was created:
1) the King and the prime minister decided that the country was in a national emergency!
so the parties were to put aside their differences and work together to fix the problem
2) MacDonald lost confidence in his party and needed the Freedom of action
that the trade unions and labor would not agree on
Therefore the national government was formed so he could do this
3) the willingness of the Torys and libs to work under MacDonald
as a whole new government would increase the panic and reduce the overseas confidence in investment more
Why the flipping heck did MacDonald remain Prime Minister?
• he refused to abandon the government and Baldwin would rather work with him than his own intollerant party
• he was seen as uniting the three parties even if it was only temporarily
They did not want hyperinflation like 1923 Germany and MacDonald reinforced this
So they kept him
Ramsey MacDonald, Nat Gov [1931-35]
The Cabinet
4 Lab 4 Torys 2 Libs
MacDonald = Pm
Snowden = Chanceller of Ex
Baldwin = Dept. Pm
Nevil Chamberlain = Health Min
Herbert Samuel (Lib) = Home Secretary
Ramsey MacDonald, Nat Gov [1931-35]
What dud they imediatly do to help The Finanical Crisis 1931-2
Norman Montague Gov of Bank of England abandonds Gold standard sept. 1931
• cuts £70 million with 10% Unemployment cut
• income tax = 25%
• Balence Buget - Negociate loans from Abroad
• wage cuts = led to Invergorden Mutint 15th sept
not realy its just Sailors didnt obey orders
• 1932 - Chamberlain makes £150 million exchange equalisation Fund to keep £ value down
1932 - Low interest rates 2%
Ramsey MacDonald, Nat Gov [1931-35]
October 1931 election
This vote was for the credibility of the national government and to see if it was right for MacDonald to still remain Prime Minister
Major conservative success 470 mps elected
Lib got 33
Lab got 46
MacDonald Remains Pm under ‘doctor’s mandate’ and is the onkt Labour rep in the Nat Gov now
so MacDonald, the Conservatives and the Libs continue the Nat Gov
but now mainly full of torys
Ramsey MacDonald, Nat Gov [1931-35]
Political impact if the Nat Gov for LABOUR
After the formation of national government MacDonald Snowden and Thomas were removed from the Labour Party
and after the election MacDonald only had 13 former lab supporters in the House of Commons
He was now a prisoner of the Conservatives
• many labour leaders lost their seats including Henderson
• Lansbury survived and became the leader of the Labour Party with Clement Attlee as his deputy
• the party became dominated by trade unions
• labour did badly in municipal elections in November 1931
• in 5 by-elections in 1932 they did not put forward a singular candidate mainly because they couldn’t afford to
• Apsley became leader of Labour in 1935 and increased the organization and reputation of Labour through the late 1930s
In 1931 they got 7.5% of votes in electio
in 1935 they got 38%
sugesting the popularity of Attlee was great
Ramsey MacDonald, Nat Gov [1931-35]
Political impact of the national government for LIBERALS
In the late 1920s the Liberal party was almost divided
In the 1931 crisis LLOYD GEORGE became detached from the bulk of the liberals
in 1931 election 2 factions emerged: those who support the Nat Gov and those who didn’t:
• SIR JOHN SIMON who’s now the leader of the 35 national liberal MPs known as the SIMONITES ( very similar to the Conservatives they even abandoned their commitment to free trade)
Simon was awarded with high office: successively becoming the Foreign Secretary, the Home Secretary and the chance of the Exchecker within the national government
• The other 33 liberal MPs led by the official Party leader SIR HERBERT SAMUEL, supported the new government but only when they deserved it and not unconditionally
When protection was introduced in 1932 they resigned from the government and crossed the floor to join Lloyds George and Labour in opposition to the National Government
Ramsey MacDonald, Nat Gov [1931-35]
Political impact of national government for CONSERVATIVES
• Even though the Conservatives came second in the 1929 election they still had 0.3 million more votes than Labour and were only 28 seats behind
• this however meant that they were the main beneficiaries when the Labour government and the Labour Party split in 1931
• this was reinforced by their victory in the 1931 and 1935 elections
• Baldwin agreed to serve under MacDonald in 1931 even though MacDonald commanded only 13 MPs
This essentially meant that Baldwin was actually the prime minister, but any criticism for mishandling the crisis of the depression would be aimed at MacDonald
• most positions in the national government was held by the Conservatives Anna’s time went on there were fewer and fewer Labour and liberal ministers
• buy 1935 Baldwin took over his prime minister and then Neville Chamberlain replaced him in 1937
Essentially the Conservatives were number two except when labor broke up they became number one
Stanley Baldwin, Nat Gov [1935-37]
Gen Election Nov 1935
• When the economic depression became less severe Baldwin justify the continuance of the national government by pointing to the Menace of right-wing dictatorships abroad
• at the end of 1935 he called for an election the atmosphere was very different from a 1931
and there was no sense of national panic therefore it was clear labour would regain ground
Most assumed the government would have a majority of around 120
• the national manifesto was signed by Baldwin, MacDonald and Simon
It placed importance on maintaining the League of Nations, defending The Empire and crediting the national government with economic recovery.
and highlighting the divisions within the Labour Party Over foreign policy
• labours manifesto noted:
2 million people still unemployed
criticisms of an expensive rearmament program
proposals for social security anf a program of reconstruction through nationalisation
The election was noted for its use of election broadcasts on the radio where Bolden was an effective performer and newsreel coverage in the cinemas
RESULTS
Nat Gov: 432 seats
Lab: 154 seats
Lib: 21 seats
Labour gained 94 seats but the government still won 53% of the votes
Of this the Conservatives won 388 seats
Stanley Baldwin, Nat Gov [1935-37]
1935 election in terms of Foreign Policy
From August to October 1931 the imperialistic Japan invaded China
The national government did not go for a strong imperial foreign policy such as what churchill wants to do
They however went for Economic recovery and spending cuts
They did literally nothing about Japan or Germany until after 1935 for defence spending
due to perceiving the need to control spending
Let’s hope this doesn’t have any major consequences like being unprepared for a war or something
Ramsey MacDonald, Nat Gov [1931-35]
How good as a leader?
+/-
+
• developed the Geneva protocol and supported the League of Nations
• labour moved from a trader Union voice to a voice of its own?? (despite being dominated by trade unions and MacDonald left the party? so mabye its about Nat Labour)
• India becomes a Dominion
• respond to a national crisis in national interest
• reduced left wings socialism in the party
• in the earlier policies of the national government there was less compromises as the national government was less than balanced
—
• no German Arms Race
• isolated from the party that they’ve done so much for
• literally escape goat for the Tories if things went south
• lose all allies and policies, such as: Snowden and cheap food for workers
• no land policy as the torys rejected it
• didn’t rearm
• a lack of support in Parliament meant there were unable to resist Tory policies
• dies in 1937
Overall 4/10 was a puppet for the Tory Party couldn’t get anything done and “betrayed” his party
Stanley Baldwin, Nat Gov [1935-37]
how good as leader?
+/-
+
• reduce extreme elements in tory party
• battled critics and regained dominance by the 1931 crisis
• centre right Coalition (Nat Gov)
• was a major influence in the national government before 1935 and was leader between 1935 and 37
• promoted an image of reassurance
• cleverly calculated public mood to win the 1935 election despite making cuts and continuing unemployment rise
• stated that rearment while unpopular was necessary and promised not to do it before the election started, only after
• insisted they needed collective security
• supported the League of Nations (lol)
• struck a deal with Germany to limit naval expansion (Pfft)
—
• there was initial criticism after losing the 1929 election
• the Tories opposed his policies towards India
• wanted Tower reform to strengthen the empire
• the tories didn’t like him Neville Chamberlain even told him this to his face
7.4/10
Did good but it’s party hates him a lot
Neville Chamberlain, Nat Gov [1937-39]
How good as leader?
+/-
+
• did more rearment than both Baldwin and MacDonald
• Made policies fixing Germany’s complaints + Increasing Britain’s Defences
“Hope for the best, Prepare for the worst”
• was different to Stanley Baldwin
• ministerial experience before in office
• well-known political family
• dominant personality and an ice cold logic = didn’t tolerate opposition from the Cabinets and the party
• discipline maintained and good links of the press so the Prime Ministers views were strongly communicated
• strong view on foreign and defence policies and diplomacy based on a dispassionate analysis of the situation:
• (Britain can’t meet promises of stopping far east and Japan or defend Mediterranean from Italy or stop Germany breaching the treaty of Versailles and expanding in Europe)
• so he attempted to use appeasement to stop them from doing this
• used shuttle diplomacy, which was unusual for the time but common in Churchill’s wartime diplomatic Nations and post-war Prime Ministers meaning Neville was the most modern of the 3 national government prime ministers
• he had a belief he could persuade dictators to make sustainable agreements the personal diplomacy aka he fought appeasement would work if he said pretty please
—
• no gift for public speaking like MacDonald
• no gift of reassurance like Baldwin
• rearment was way too late
• didn’t stop appeasement till it was too late
• “peace of our time” really didn’t happen
• literally didn’t use the League of Nations at all
8.7/10
Did a great job in rearmint and diplomacy and politics in general however attempting to negotiate with dictators and not to use the League of Nations to stop them was a great failing,
and only happened due to appeasement being popular among the public who didn’t want to war
Stanley Baldwin, Nat Gov [1935-37]
Abdication Crisis
WTF IS IT?
• King George V died on the 20th of January 1936 the next king King Edward VIII aged 41 seemed to challenge the political establishment
• while popular and caring as Prince of Wales he was also very upper class and liked fine clothes luxury and parties
• he also enjoyed serial womanising
• he wanted to modernize the monarchy
• after a visit to South Wales in November 1936 and seeing how depressed the area was he said “something will have to be done”
• in response to this Neville Chamberlain drafted a memo urging the king to “settle down” (don’t wear fancy clothes and keep your nose out of politics)
• Baldwin stop secret documents being leaked it’s Nazi Germany from being sent by the king after being informed of such by MI6
• Edward had fallen in love with Miss Wallis Simpson an American on the summer of 1936
• she was an American who is divorced once and remarried, to marry the king she would have to fly in the face of accepting morality as well as damage the King’s position as supreme governor of the Church of England
Stanley Baldwin, Nat Gov [1935-37]
Abdication Crisis
Bad for gov Lol
but Y?
• the church’s opinion was really important for the Tories
But the King wanted tk marry miss Simpson the American who would need to get a divorce which would damage the King’s reputation as the supreme governor of the Church of England as divorce was a stigma and the Church of England didn’t really like it nor they like Americans
• the king was found to be a simpificer with fascist Italy and Nazi Germany
• the king was trying to get involved with politics by trying to get stuff done about poverty, he also tried to leak government documents to the Nazi germany
• misin may have access to state papers and become the empress of India which would weaken ties between the empire
• however despite all of this people liked the King and he was rather popular
Stanley Baldwin, Nat Gov [1935-37]
How did Baldwin deal with the Abdication Crisis?
• Baldwin told the King on the 20th October 1936 that there’ll be no divorce or marriage between the King or Miss Simpson as it would damage opinions at home and Abroad and across the Empire and cause a crisis
• Baldwin also suggested to keep it an internal affair but still no divorce
• November the 16th Baldwin told the king the marriage was not approved again
• on the 25th of November it was discussed that a secret marriage was not likely to be approved by parliament and Simpson would not be queen
• on the 3rd of December there was public coverage
• may 1937 the pressure piles up and they couldn’t ignore the dominions anymore
• the 10th of December 1937 King Edward VII abdicated and signed the instrument of abdication
• He Later Marys Miss Wallis Simpson june 3rd 1937
July 1938 Queen Mary Ed’s mother: very Disapointed in him
The use of the word crisis was limited due to the lack of press coverage for out and the reason why it was important was the image of the house of Windsor had to be protected
also there would be respect for the government for handling the situation
Stanley Baldwin, Nat Gov [1935-37]
Political Extreemism in Britain
• In Britain Communism and Fascism grew largley due to wider changes in europe:
– Rise of Dictators & dislike of Democracy:
– Hitler in Germany
– Mussolini in Italy
– Stalin in USSR
– Franco in Spain
• The Depression and Rising unemployment in Early 30s= some attracted to Communism and Fascism due to Desperation and unhappiness with the Government
DLG [1916-22] - Nevile Chamberlin, Nat Gov [1937-40]
Communism in Britain
National Unemployed Workers Movment [NUWM]
• National Unemployed workers movment [NUWM]
– acheived little in 1920s
– Boosted by the Depression
– Campainged against Means test
– Hunger Marches
– wanted to lresent 1 mill signitured petition against Means test (wasn’t presented)
– only attracted small % on unemployed
– Successfull in ⅓ of 2000 cases against Denial of Benifit
– Successfull in increasing Employment benifits
– 1920= 2500 members
BUT:
– It was difficult to finance
– their leader Hannington was in Prosom 3x in 1930s
WW1= eco + emotional damages in europe
this lead to doubt in democracy and capitalism
whome they beleived to have/will caused the war and economic collapse
DLG [1916-22] - Nevile Chamberlin, Nat Gov [1937-40]
Communism in Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
• The Communist Party of Great Britian was founded in 1920 by Socialist Groups such as the British socialist party and marxist groups
– it was inspired by the October revolution in 1917 Russia
– aswell as Comintern (a Russian Intnat org) who ask for World Revolution
– they played a Role in the General Strike
– 1926 members as a result = 10,000
• 25 candidates in 1929
– 5% of working class vote
– 56,000 votes
• 2 in Parliment from 1922-29
– 1 elected in 1935-1950
in 1930= had 2500 members
• Unemployment rise in 1932 led to them having 6000 members!
Had feelings against:
– Hitler
Had feelings towards:
– Left wing republic in Spanisg cival war [1936-9]
these both ^ membership to 16,000 in 1939
DLG [1916-22] - Nevile Chamberlin, Nat Gov [1937-40]
Failure of
Communism in Britain
Communist party of Great Britain Problems:
– Party constrained by Moscow policy of joining with other reforming partys 1921-29
– But Labour wouldn’t affiliate w/ them
– so party caught between trying to work w/ Labour and TU or be independant
• Moscow urged a policy of stiring up revolution + class conflict
– acheived little other than hostility from TUC
• OPPOSITION
– party was discredited by Zinoviev letter + anti russia propoganda
– party leaders were arrested in 1926 and tried and sentenced for treason
• Gen Strike showed the working class unwilling to do radical revolutionary activity
– weakening partys cause (worldwide revolution)
• Communism was a Minority political belif
– only certain radical working class disticts support
– e.g. south wales
• Stalin calls for a front against Facism in 1934
– Labour + TU = no Cooperation
– due to Distrust of communism and rumors of Purges
• German + Soviet pact 1939 = Dissilusioned members of Party (cuz they dislike hitler and facists so why is Soviets helping them?)
– leaders of party resign for supporting the war (cuz stalin)
National Unemployed Workers Movment (now a union not a movment)
– Between wars = mass unemployment = mass support for them (most of any comm org in Britain)
– this is w/o mass membership or revolution situation, showing support was for Unemployment benift rather than Communism
this shows how Communism in Britain Failed to capture mass support
due to a lack of it and complecations in policys/ moscow/ Other Partys
Ramsey MacDonald [1931-35] - Nevile Chamberlin, Nat Gov [1937-40]
Facism In Britain
Policies and Success in Support of British Union of Facists (BUF)
The British Union of Facists (BUF)
– est 1932
– eco policy = Put Britain First
– 2 mill ppl were unemployed to a “greater Britain” with this policy sounded attractive = ^support
– Oswald Mosley the Leader of Paraphemalia if Facism Party (Same as BUF)
– wore Black shirts, did rallys and songs
– was inspired by Musilinoi
– Italys repputation = Strong, Modern and Solves Problems
• BUF was praised by Papers ran by Lord Rothermere (e.g. Daily Mail)
– Pro Black Shirt Articles
Membership peak in 1934 Due to Publicity
Facist Rallys 1934 attended by 12,000 ppl
Ramsey MacDonald [1931-35] - Nevile Chamberlin, Nat Gov [1937-40]
Facism In Britain
BUF failed to Attract sig support
• Gov policy against instences that were likley to provoke public dissorder
• Led to: Public Order Act 1936
– Banned Processions (rallys)
– (that was a key part of Facism)
• Battle of Cable Street 1936
– Ratial Violence = Severly Alienated the Public Oppinion = Massive decline in Support
• Communists didnt relly on public demos so grew faster in 1930s than Facists
• Rise in Nazi unpopularity + threat of war = drop in Facism Support
• Lord Rothermere withdrew support = v members to 5000 in 1935
• London Olympia Rally 7th june 1934
= violent outbreak lost them more support
• after 1934 attendence to rallys dropped from the 12000 peak
• Seemed Facists patriotic movment was going against British Security and National Intrest
– thurther reduces support for BUF
Ramsey MacDonald [1931-35] - Stanley Baldwin, Nat Gov [1935-27]
Gov role in Decline of Political Extreemism
• Incitement to Disaffection act 1934
• Public order act 1936
• Gov Arrested and Sentenced British Communist Party Leaders for Treason in 1926
– (appart of Anti-Russian Propoganda and as a Response to Zinoviev letter that wasnt real but hey-ho its an excuse to oppose and discredit Communism)
• Public Order Act 1936
– Public Processions (rallys) now Illegal
– (was key role in Facism and gaining pop, so ban= stop support)
• The Incitement to Disaffection Act 1934
– Illegal to try to convince a member of British Arned Forces to Mutiny
– Stops what happend in Feb 1917 Revolution occuring in Britian
– No Communist/Facist Revolutions are now Legaly possible (as if they ever were)
Ramsey MacDonald [1928-31,31-35 Nat gov] - Stanley Baldwin, Nat Gov [1935-37]
Foreign Affairs and Britain Background (1930s)
• Wall St Crash 1929:
– = eco issues
– ^ extreemism support to fix it
• Hitler and Germany invaded The Rhineland 1935
• Mussolini and Italy invaded Ethiopia
• Spanish Cival War
For these European countries
these actions went against the Leauge of Nations And the Locarno Treaty (not to do aggression)
• Japan invaded Chinese Manchuria
Stanley Baldwin, Nat Gov [1935-37]
Foreign Affairs of Mr Baldwin
• was slow to react and re-arm
– and didn’t attempt to negotiate with the dictators
– despite Germany ignoring its restrictions to the size of its army and Air Force
ITALY: 1935
• even though Italy invaded Ethiopia to expand its Empire Britain wanted it as an Ally
– but the Foreign Secretary Hoare already agreed to support the League of Nations
– in imposing sanctions on Italy
• BUT Hoare arranged an agreement allowing Italy to claim most of Ethiopia
– but when this was leaked he had to resign as it went against the League of Nations
• then Italy took all of Ethiopia anyway
Nevile Chamberlain, NAT gov/war Cabinate [1937-39, 39-40]
Mr Chamberlain’s Foreign Affairs policy in the late 1930s
GERMANY
• he followed an appeasement policy
– to avoid war with Germany when Germany began conquering land:
– for example at the Munich agreement 1938 Germany was allowed to have Sudetenland
– as long as they promise not to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia
– when Chamberlain had returned to Britain Hitler quickly ignored it and decided to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia
• Chamberlain visited Hitler 3x in attempt to negotiate and stop German expansion
• Chamberlain pinky promised Poland that if they was invaded by Germany (1939)
– Britain would be forced to declare war on Germany
Public Oppinions influence on Foreign policy in the 1930s
• public ≠ war
• DLG Chanak crisis 1922 (almost cause war) = Public against it
• 1930s the League of Nations had public support
– the League of Nations even had their own Union to be supported
• lib + lab policies reflect this as they state they will only take action against a country if the league says so
• foreign policies affected by public opinion who didn’t support re-arment
• the government fought the election as “champions of collective security”
– as they for example in putting sanctions on Italy for invading Ethiopia
• as the result of claiming they were keepers of the Peace
– they promised not to massively re-arm
– or get into an arms race with Germany
– this is shown in the naval agreement in 1935
• foreign policy issue =
was to create policies that agreed with public opinions on avoiding another world war
– what also trying to make sure they are prepared if a World War occurs
late 1930s
Differing political oppinions in foreign policies:
Chamberlain and Churchill
• Churchill had a rule that 10 years after a major War is the time when Re-arment should begin (so can rebuild society and stabakise b4 hand)
• Chamberlain’s appeasement policy was opposed by Churchill and his supporters along with ex-Foreign Secretary Eden who all wanted to respond to:
– hitler’s increase in German aircraft Productions from 1935
– and his ignoral of the restrictions from the Treaty of vasilies that restricted Germany to 100,000 soldiers and 6 warships
• however this was hopeless as Chamberlain’s peace via diplomacy of appeasement policy (please hitler into not invading places by giving him things)
– was so popular that it’s solidified his position as leader
– and weakened his opposition who fought it may end in a war
Relationship with the League of Nations in Foreign Policy in the Late 1930’s
• the Tory foreign policy was consistent in ignoring Italy and Japan’s invasion of countries to keep them as allies
– it focused more on Germany as they fought it was a threat to Britain and western Europe
• due to the League of Nations public popularity
– the government had to do this within the leagues interests
– so they put sanctions on Italy 1935 for Ethiopia’s invasion
– However the Foreign Minister Hoare and French PM Laval
– Made a Secret Hoare-Laval pact in dec 1935
– that would let Italy to Have most of Ethiopia leaving only a few bits independent
– This was Leaked and Both of them Resigned
– Mussolini took the rest of Ethiopia Anyway
• Btw the LoN did Nothing to Stop anybody invading anything
Issues and Problems With Rearament in the late 1930s
• the government needed to find resources to
– develop and build the RAF
– develop the British expeditionary force
– fund defense for example: RADAR
• when appeasement was clearly not going to work:
– peace time conscription was introduced in April 1939
• lots of money we spent on rearmament and warp prep from 1938-39
– and long-term war prep for future peace time war preparations (if it happens again after this war)
• war led to big changes such as:
– Chamberlain heading a war cabinet
– and the Tory dissednt Churchill back in his office for the first time since 1929
Foreign Affairs impacts on Domestic Politics in late 1930s
Labour Party
• Atlee’s 1935 election and campaign
opposed substantial rearmament
and supported collective security with the League of Nations
Foreign Affairs impact on Domestic Politics in the late 1930s
Conservative Party
• the 1935 election campaigns policy was limited rearament
• they decided to accept German rearmament and revision of the Treaty of Versailles
– however they did not publicly endorse this
• Churchill criticies Chamberlain’s appeasement policy
– which is an unpopular view at the time as he wants re-armament
– chamberlains two part policy in 1937
– allowed Britain to speed up rearmament
– and also appease Germany
This is summed up by the phrase:
“hope for the best, prepare for the worst”
Assess impact of foreign affairs on domestic government during the period of 1929-39
impact of the Great Depression 1929
– Economy v
– Depleated the old industries
– Nationalised the Gov
– £ off Gold Standard – Ppl withdraw £33M in Gold as a result
– European Banking Crisis
– ^ Unemployment and Desperatness so ^ support for extreemism
REARMAMENT AND RISING FACISIM (cuz communism dosnt really catch on)
– Chamberlain’s policy of hope for the best and to prepare for the worst
– sped up rearmament in 1937 however by this time it was far too late
– dictators such as Mussolini it inspired the morals of the British Union fastest which peaked their popularity in 1934
– (then declined due to Public order act banning precessions and a drop in pop due to the Battle of Cable street, and Lord Rothermere stopped supporting them in newspapers all in 1935-6)
PUBLIC OPPINION + LoN
• the public doesn’t want to war or rearmament so they support the League of Nations
– who do little to nothing to stop rising issues such as Hitler or Mussolini
– or imposing sanctions on Italy for Ethiopia despite them invading it anyway
– Also Hoare-Laval pact to give Ethiopia to Italy being leaked is so unpopular and behind the govs back that hes sacked
– by-elections saw pacifists in the House of Commons rather than Tories or Labs ect. (tho labs were kinda passafists)
