1951-1964 Flashcards
What 3 prime ministers served during this time?
Churchill (1951-1955)
Eden (1956-1957)
Macmillan (1957-1964
What were the main government policies from 51-64?
- Build 300,000 new houses a year
- new social reforms
- restricted death penalty
- decriminalised homosexuality
- housing and workplace acts - better education system
-keep inflation and unemployment low
What were some elements of the post war consensus?
- run a mixed economy
- support the NHS
- gain full employment
- work in partnership with unions
What were the divisions in the labour party?
Left wing (bevan)
- nationalism
- nuclear disarmament
- no prescription charges
centrist (gaitskell)
- prescription charges due to financial pressure
- tried to abolish nationalism
- preferred moderate policies
What were some reasons for the conservative downfall?
- Rejection from EEC in 1961
-Macmillan had lost his government
-night of the long knives, macmillan sacked a third of his cabinet
-Spy scandals (profumo affair)
-economic problems
What evidence to suggest the early years of the conservative government was a economic boom?
- UK were at full employment in 1955
- Food rationing ended in 1954
- wages doubled over the time period
What was the balance of payments problem?
economic growth led to a rise in wages and £134m in tax cuts allowed for britain to import 29% more
What is ‘stop-go’ economics?
Where the government frequently intervened in the market to control inflation and growth
What policies were involved in stop-go economics to control growth?
- high interest rates
- wage freezes
Which factor of aggerate demand led the growth and was it sustainable growth?
(consumption,government spending, exports, investment)
- consumption
- is not sustainable as it meant an increase in imports and a decrease in exports which decreased the balance of payments
What main economic problem did the gov. face in ‘62 and how did the resolve it?
- large wage inflation threat
- gov. introduced a ‘pay pause’ and asked for a loan from the IMF
What was the 1963 Beeching report?
a review in to the cuts in public spending
What was the main cut the beeching report suggested and what were the results?
- suggested 30% cut in the national rail network
- hundreds of branches, lines and stations were axed
- caused public outrage as left many rural communities isolated
Why was a new housing market needed and what kind of house did the government build?
- Was needed due to the war bombings, the housing infrastructure was destroyed
- Built new council houses and new villages
What new consumer goods were popularised in the 50’s?
- television
- washing machines
- fridges
What leisure activities grew in the early 50’s?
- TV estimated 50% of the population watched TV in the evening
- DIY and gardening and TV started to reflect these interests
how did the stop go policies weaken the british economy
- showed that the government had no long term plan and were not prepared to use drastic measures to fix the economy
- britain had 2% growth and fell behind its eu competitors
- go policies led to high inflation and a balance of payments problem
- stop policies led to high unemployment and low investment
in what ways did the stop go policies not weaken the economy
- living standards didn’t fall
- due to easier access to credit, it became easier to buy a house
- real wages stayed ahead of prices and wages doubled between 51-64
- what an effective means of solving problems short term
-there were other factors such as high spending on military with it taking up 5% of the gdp, spent on nukes, foreign bases and defence
how did the profumo affair show a decline in deference?
-The main press were now investigating high class sexual affairs and christine keeler became a celebrity
what was the expected role of women in the 50s
- Primarily seen as house wives
- ideal woman was a house wife and mother
- only 1 in 5 women worked
- average age of marriage was 21 and 75% of women were married
Why did trade unions not support women working
they believed it would lower mens wages
what raised race tensions in nottingham
in 1958 groups on young white youths went on n—– hunts specifically targeting black people
what were the new restrictions implemented in the 1962 immigrations act
immigrants had to have a full work permit
how did youth culture boom
- 10% of the population were teenagers in 1959
- became more economically important
- culture spread through new music, radios and buying vinyls
- no national service after 1960
what was the most prominent youth group in the early 50’s and what were the problems with them
- Teddy boys
- linked with rising crime rates and juvenile delinquency
what 2 groups replaced the teddy boys in the late 50s and what features did they have
- mods wore suits, rode scooters, preferred pop music
- rockers wore leather, rode motor bikes, listened to rock ‘n’ roll
how were the new social problems such as racism,openess about sex and gang violence glorified
-through tv and film, there were many films and tv shows portraying the ongoing racism and gang violence around england
why did britain initially not become involved in the EEC
- very few politicians and journalists in favour of joining
- The left didnt like the free market policies behind the common market
- the right preferred traditional trade with australia new zealand and canada
- there was an assumption britain didnt need it as is was still a world power
- still wanted to maintain the special relation
when did britain apply to join the eec
1961
what were the complications in britain joining the eec
britain had good imported and traded with countries like new zealand and usa (which would be blocked under eec rules, e.g. new zealand lamb imports) which britain wanted to keep trading with
when and why was the CND formed
formed in 1958 over the concerns of britains first ‘H’ bomb in 1957
when and what was the mutual defence agreement
an agreement in 1958 between uk and us to share nuclear secrets
When did britain scrap the ‘blue streak’ porgect and what was it replaced by
abandoned in 1960 and replaced by american polaris submarines
what was the suez crisis
egypt seized the suez canal previously owned by uk and france
what was the uk and frances reaction to the suez crisis
they staged an invasion of egypt by isreal then came in as ‘peacekeepers’ and seized the suez area
what was the worlds reaction to the suez crisis
uk and france were ordered to remove their troops and has serious sanctions placed on them by america regarding oil
what internal opposition did eden face to the suez crisis
-the colonial minister resigned
-40 conservative MP’s rebelled
-the chief whip was greatly opposed to the action taken
