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Britain > 1951 - 64 > Flashcards

1951 - 64 Flashcards

1
Q

THE 1955 GENERAL ELECTION

What percentage of the vote did the Conservatives win?

A

49.7%

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2
Q

THE 1955 GENERAL ELECTION

Did the Conservatives gain or lose votes?

A

Gain!

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3
Q

THE 1955 GENERAL ELECTION

Why was it striking that the Conservatives gained votes?

A

For the first time in 90 years the party in power managed to increase it’s majority

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4
Q

THE 1955 GENERAL ELECTION

Give five reasons why the Conservatives managed to increase their seats

A
  • Sixpence off income tax, rising prosperity
  • Eden appeared young and popular in comparison to Labour and Attlee
  • The gov had enjoyed four years of “quiet, public success”
  • The end of rationing and expansion of social services
  • Upbeat national mood: coronation and the ashes
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5
Q

EDEN

What was Eden’s key trait that led to his political downfall?

A

Anti-appeasement

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6
Q

CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS

Describe the Vassal inquiry of 1963

A
  • Vassal was a homosexual soviet spy linked with some junior ministers
  • Gov obliged to appoint investigator
  • Rumoured that senior administration were trying to protect him
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7
Q

CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS

What did the Vassal inquiry show?

A

The government was losing control of its own departments

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8
Q

CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS

Describe the Philby scandal

A
  • A senior official in the foreign office
  • Passing info to the USSR for decades
  • Government failing to spot traitors in the heart of the establishment
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9
Q

CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS

Describe the Argyll divorce case

A
  • Duke of Argyll publicly divorced his wife on the grounds of adultery
  • He published a list of men she had been sleeping with… this included cabinet ministers
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10
Q

CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS

Describe the Profumo affair

A
  • Minister for war had an affair with Christine Keeler, an upper class prostitute
  • She was also sleeping with a member of the Soviet embassy
  • Posed a risk to national security
  • Profumo swore to Macmillan that nothing happened
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11
Q

CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS

What was the impact of these scandals?

A

Macmillan appeared to be losing political grip over his party
Published not only in tabloids but also the times
Conservatives weakened it’s claim to lead the nation
Macmillan’s government appeared ridiculous and laughable
Immoral

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12
Q

THE DECLINE OF THE BE

By 1951 what had happened?

A

Pressure of colonial movements became harder to contain

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13
Q

THE DECLINE OF THE BE

Describe the Mau Mau rebellion

A

A revolt in Kenya, revelations of Brutal captive treatment damaged Britain’s reputation, after Suez politicians realised they could no longer hold onto colonies, rebellion shut down much more slowly

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14
Q

THE DECLINE OF THE BE

Describe Macmillan’s winds of change speech

A

Cape town 1960; highlighted a change in policy, calling for decolonization and recognition of idependence movements

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15
Q

THE DECLINE OF THE BE

What was Britain’s imperial policy before the Suez crisis?

A

To defeat nationalist revolts and keep control over Britain’s African colonies

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16
Q

THE DECLINE OF THE BE

Was there any domestic opposition to loss of Empire?

A

No

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17
Q

THE DECLINE OF THE BE

How many colonies were lost between 57 - 64?

A

20, including Ghana, Nigeria and Cyprus

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18
Q

THE DECLINE OF THE BE

How well carried out was Britain’s decolonization?

A

Compared to other European powers, the process of decolonization was carried out relatively well

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19
Q

1951 ELECTION

How many constituencies makes up Britain?

A

650

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20
Q

1951 ELECTION

What percentage of the vote did the Conservatives win in 1951?

A

48% (less than Labour)

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21
Q

1951 ELECTION

What did the Conservatives enter office promising?

A

A period of “calm consolidation”, that they would not reverse the welfare state and to end rationing whilst building more houses

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22
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

What was Churchill’s political outlook when he became PM

A

Cautious, conciliatory and undogmatic

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23
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

Did the Conservatives support the welfare state?

A

Yes :)

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24
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

Define post war consensus

A

When there is a great deal of agreement between both parties

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25
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

What were the parties in consensus about?

A
  • Mixed economy
  • NHS and welfare state
  • A wish to ensure full employment
  • Working with trade unions and employers
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26
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

What dates did rationing end?

A

1952 - many items stopped being rationed
1953 - the end of sugar rationing
1954 - the end of meat rationing

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27
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

When was the first atomic bomb detonated?

A

1952, operation hurricane

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28
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

What nuclear power did Britain become?

A

The third, after USA and USSR

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29
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

When did Queen Elizabeth take the throne?

A

The 2nd of June 1952

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30
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

Who has Rab Butler?

A

The Chancellor

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31
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

Describe Butskellism

A

Hugh Gaitskell and Rab Butler, a general agreement on the stop-go policies, growing consensus between parties

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32
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

Describe Macmillan’s successes as housing minister

A

Exceeded their target by over half in 1953, a year ahead of schedule. He built 300,000 new homes.

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33
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

Describe the mixed economy

A

An economic system containing private and state enterprises

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34
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

What was the only industry denationalised under the Churchill government?

A

Steel

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35
Q

DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL

When did the Korean war end and what was it’s significance?

A

July 27 1953, reduced Britain’s defence spending

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36
Q

1951 GENERAL ELECTION

What was the balance of payments deficit in 1951?

A

£7,000,000

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37
Q

EDEN

Give three facts about Eden

A
  • Etonian
  • Specialised in foreign policy
  • Anti appeasement
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38
Q

MACMILLAN

Was Macmillan more to the left or the right of the Conservative party?

A

The left, many believed he would have been Labour if not for the war

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39
Q

CONS FALL FROM POWER

Describe the “big freeze”

A

A 10 week snow storm between 1953 - 54, temporary loss of power and heating

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40
Q

DOUGLAS-HOME

Was Douglas-Home voted in as party leader?

A

No

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41
Q

DOUGLAS-HOME

Why did the appointment of Douglas Home cause anger and frustration?

A

“Old boys/etonian network” and not an open leadership contest

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42
Q

DOUGLAS-HOME

Name two key figures who refused to serve in the Douglas-Home cabinet

A

Enoch Powell and Iain Macleod

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43
Q

DOUGLAS-HOME

What had Lord Home previously been?

A

Foreign secretary

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44
Q

DOUGLAS-HOME

How did Home renounce his title?

A

The 1963 peerage act, became Sir Home

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45
Q

BRITAIN & EUROPE

What was Europe like after WW2?

A

More of a move towards mutual co-operation, suspicious of Britain’s “special relationship” with America

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46
Q

BRITAIN & EUROPE

Give the name of the conference and treaty that helped set up the EEC

A
  • International conference, Messina 1955

- Treaty of Rome 1957

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47
Q

BRITAIN & EUROPE

What countries were originally in the EEC?

A

France, Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg, Italy and the Netherlands

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48
Q

BRITAIN & EUROPE

Describe the political character of the EEC

A
  • Main countries were Germany and France
  • Germany wanted to improve tarnished reputation
  • Other countries joined to gain financially from Germany their “guilt ridden neighbour”
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49
Q

BRITAIN & EUROPE

Why did Britain initially not join the EEC?

A
  • Fatally undermine standing as a sovereign state
  • Didn’t want to jeopardize special relationship with America
  • Germany and France lost the war, whereas Britain was a winner
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50
Q

BRITAIN & EUROPE

Did the EEC grow in success?

A

Yes

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51
Q

BRITAIN & EUROPE

In what year did the Macmillan government make an application?

A

1961

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52
Q

BRITAIN & EUROPE

Why did Britain apply to join the EEC?

A
  • To boost industrial production of the large scale export market
  • Increase industrial efficiency
  • Stimulate economic growth with the rapid expansion already seen in the EEC
  • USA wanted to improve it’s own relationship with Europe
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53
Q

BRITAIN & EUROPE

Why did DeGaulle veto the British application?

A

Fear that he would lose influence if Britain joined

54
Q

SUEZ

Why was the Suez canal important to Britain?

A
  • A trading route to middle east and commonwealth
  • 80% of Europe’s oil imports passed through the canal
  • Britain heavily involved in running the canal and defended it through both world wars
55
Q

SUEZ

Why did the USA withdraw their offer of a loan to Nasser?

A

He was also approaching the Soviet bloc for money

56
Q

SUEZ

How and when did Nasser respond the USA’s decision to withdraw their loan?

A

July 1956, Nasser announced he was going to nationalise the Suez canal as a way of raising funds

57
Q

SUEZ

Why were Britain furious about the nationalisation of the Suez canal?

A

Deeply hindered their political and economic position

58
Q

SUEZ

What initial steps were taken to try and denationalise the canal?

A

France, Britain and America created a “Canal Users Association”; Britain bought the matter to the UN which proved fruitless because the Soviets used their veto

59
Q

SUEZ

Why did Eden believe negotiations to be off the table?

A

He was anti-appeasement, believed Nasser to be another facist dictator

60
Q

SUEZ

What did Eden resultantly try and do?

A

He orchestrated a joint plan in October 1956 with France and secretly Israel. Israel would invade Egypt and Britain and France would then step in to mediate and seize control of the Suez canal

61
Q

SUEZ

Was Suez a success militairily?

A

Yes

62
Q

SUEZ

What followed Eden’s plan in action?

A
  • A storm of political protest in Britain
  • Fury from the US president Eisenhower, with heavy financial pressure from the president
  • Threats from the soviets (rocket strikes) if the British did not withdraw
63
Q

SUEZ

What other impacts did the Americans have?

A

Threatened to withdraw trade and financial help, refused to support an application for and IMF loan and suggested Britain should not be part of the UN peacekeeping force

64
Q

SUEZ

What were the four main reasons for withdrawal?

A
  • The strength of opposition amongst the British people
  • The fury of Americans for not being consulted
  • Condemnation of the British at UN
  • Failure to gain international backing
65
Q

SUEZ

What personal involvement did Eden have with the Suez crisis?

A

Anti-appeasement, saw Nasser as being anti-British, failed to hide his distaste for Nasser

66
Q

SUEZ

What was the significance of the Suez affair for Britain?

A

Post-war Britain could no longer act alone, they needed to work more closely with other European and global super powers

67
Q

RELATIONSHIPS WITH US & USSR

Who did Macmillan form a close relationship with?

A

Eisenhower and Kennedy

68
Q

RELATIONSHIPS WITH US & USSR

When was the Berlin Airlift?

A

1948 - 49

69
Q

RELATIONSHIPS WITH US & USSR

Describe the Korean war

A

Communist North invaded the South, UN sent out forces, Britain was the largest military contributor after America

70
Q

:)

A

:)

71
Q

ECONOMY

Describe the post war boom

A

The global economy was booming, rising real wages ad exports increased by 29% in 1951

72
Q

ECONOMY

Describe the stop-go policy

A

Balance of payments deficit - government controls imposed - balance of payments surplus - controls removed - balance of payments deficit

73
Q

ECONOMY

What are the positives of stop-go economics?

A
  • Steady rates of unemployment

- Economy never hits an extreme high or an extreme low

74
Q

ECONOMY

What are the negatives of the stop-go policy?

A
  • Failure to modernise the economy

- Stuck in a postwar consensus

75
Q

ECONOMY

How much was given to Britain in Marshall loans?

A

$2.7 billion

76
Q

ECONOMY

What did the Suez crisis highlight?

A

Britain didn’t have the money to act independently anymore, very much reliant on America

77
Q

ECONOMY

Describe budget politics

A

When politicians manipulate the stop go cycle during elections

78
Q

ECONOMY

What speech did Macmillan deliver in 1957?

A

The “never had it so good” speech

79
Q

ECONOMY

What did the government need to apply for in 1961?

A

An IMF loan

80
Q

ECONOMY

Were NEDDY and NICKY successful?

A

No…

81
Q

ECONOMY

When did the government reapply to the EEC?

A

1961

82
Q

ECONOMY

Describe the beeching report

A

A public expenditure cut, trains etc, extremely unpopular

83
Q

ECONOMY

What was the economic deficit in 1964?

A

£800 million

84
Q

ECONOMY

Describe the Thorneycroft economic crisis

A

Summer of 1957: high inflation, a run on the pound

85
Q

ECONOMY

Describe “the night of long knives”

A

A major cabinet reshuffle to hide the sacking of Selwyn Lloyd, Macmillan: “a little local difficulty”

86
Q

ECONOMY

Had Britain become more affluent?

A

Yes! Material quality of life improving, lower classes had opportunities their forbearers could not have dreamed of

87
Q

ECONOMY

What was the average rate of unemployment?

A

It fell from 12% to 2%

88
Q

ECONOMY

Did the British economy grow quicker or slower than the interwar period?

A

Quicker - 2.8%

89
Q

ECONOMY

Describe two improvements to living standards

A
  • Infant mortality halved

- Life expectancy rose on average 4 years

90
Q

ECONOMY

What was the most obvious indicator of increased affluence?

A

Consumption of more household goods: percentage of households owning washing machines increased from 7% to 66%, refrigerators increased from 3% to 66%

91
Q

ECONOMY

Name three states with higher GDP growth rates

A

Italy, W.Germany and France

92
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Describe the rise in living standards

A
  • A time of widespread affluence
  • Conspicuous consumerism
  • Ordinary people could now afford middleclass lifestyles
  • Number of cars on the road increased from £2.5 million to £3.5 million
93
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Describe the impacts of affluence and consumerism

A
  • Disparity between the North and South
  • More aspirations to a better lifestyle
  • Golden age of social mobility
  • 1/3 of children still had to leave school to contribute to the families income
94
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Describe the impacts of affluence and consumerism

A
  • Disparity between the North and South
  • More aspirations to a better lifestyle
  • Golden age of social mobility
  • 1/3 of children still had to leave school to contribute to the families income
95
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Describe social attitudes and tension

A
  • Still deep class divisions, clothes, schools, accents etc
  • People overly conscious of their status in society
  • A simpler, less sophisticated society had become the norm
96
Q 
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
Describe class and the establishment
A
  • British society remained overtly hierarchal
  • Establishment was the leading politicians, church owners and aristocrats
  • Oxbridge influence
  • Hostility grew towards the establishment: emergence of political satire, beyond the fringe
97
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Describe the position of women

A
  • Attitudes remained fundamentally conservative
  • The war had acted as catalyst for social change
  • Female wages 2/3 of men’s
  • Women tended to work for “pin money” (smaller luxuries)
  • Percentage of women in the workforce increased by 6%
  • Tiny minority of female MPs
  • “A woman’s place is in the home”
98
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Describe immigration

A
  • Immigrants came from the New Commonwealth
  • 5000 migrants had arrived by 1951
  • RA Butler introduced the Commonwealth Immigration Bill in 1961
  • End to the open door policy
  • 100,000 immigrants from the Commonwealth by 1961
99
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Define the Commonwealth Immigration Bill

A

This bill required immigrants to hold work permits or an employment voucher before entering the country

100
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Describe racial prejudice and violence

A
  • Racism a prevalent issue but not as pronounced as America
  • Lots of colour based prejudice in different institutions
  • The Notting hill Riots: racially motivated
101
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

When did national service end?

A

1960

102
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Describe the “angry young men”

A

Coined by the times, novelists and dramatics who gave a voice to the youth

103
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

What did the youth enjoy?

A

Greater opportunities and affluence

104
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Describe popular music for youths

A
  • Music helped define generations
  • “Black America” and “sexual freedom”
  • Cliff Richards, Presley, Bill Haley and the beginnings of Beetlemania
  • Rock was very popular
105
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

List four new comprehensive schools

A

N. Wales: 1954
S. London: 1956
Wales: 1958
N. London: 1959

106
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

What happened to war slums?

A

They were cleared up

107
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Which holiday camp opened?

A

Butlins

108
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

What did Suez expose?

A

Blatant government lies

109
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

What improved the lives of women?

A

The introduction of labour saving devices

110
Q

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

What were the three teenage groups?

A

Rockers, mods and teddy boys

111
Q

LABOUR REVIVAL

Who succeeded Hugh Gaitskell when he died suddenly in 1963?

A

Harold Wilson :))

112
Q

LABOUR REVIVAL

Who did Harold Wilson beat in the Labour party elections?

A

George Brown and James Callaghan

113
Q

LABOUR REVIVAL

Which disagreements did Wilson bypass?

A

Clause IV and nationalisation

114
Q

LABOUR REVIVAL

What name did Wilson harness to his cause?

A

The name of science and technology

115
Q

LABOUR REVIVAL

What did Wilson call for?

A

A second industrial revolution: popular with the electorate

116
Q

LABOUR REVIVAL

What was Wilson particularly good at?

A

Manipulating the media: paired himself next to the young, progressive JFK

117
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

What happened to Labour under the Atlee government?

A

They carried out the whole of their policies, no new ideas

118
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

What was Labour regrouping hindered by?

A

The Conservatives adopting their policies from Labour’s manifesto, meaning what could Labour actually offer

119
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

Why did the Conservatives gain some popularity?

A

For lifting rationing controls, increasing affluence

120
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

What was Labour yet to decide?

A

What type of party it actually was

121
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

What did the left of the party argue for?

A

Greater commitment to state control

122
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

What represented the lefts strand of thought?

A

The Bevantines

123
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

What were many of the left?

A

Unilaterists

124
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

Why were many of the left inilaterists?

A

They believed money shouldn’t be spent on nuclear weapons but rather to state funding in order to help the poor

125
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

What movement became associated with Labour?

A

The CND movement

126
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

Why were Labour believed to hold a strong chance of winning the 1959 election?

A

First election to be held after Suez and the dipping of the economy

127
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

What was the Conservatives’ election campaign in 1959?

A

“Britain has never had it so good”, “Don’t let Labour ruin it”

128
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

What did Labour hurriedly promise?

A

Increased state pension: this raised questions about financing

129
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

How did Gaitskell hinder the party in 1962?

A

He publicly declared he was against the application of the EEC. Hardly appeared progressive and forward thinking.

130
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

Give four reasons for Labour’s defeat in 1956 and 1959

A
  • Disagreements of the true character of the party
  • Divisions over how far the party should push for socialist policies
  • Split over issues of unilaterism
  • Uncertainty over whether Britain should join the common market
131
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

What did Gaitskell want to steer away from?

A

Extreme socialist policies which he felt would alienate the party from the electorate

132
Q

LABOUR IN OPPOSITION

What did the Bevantine want?

A

Larger trade unions, resisted by Gaitskell

Britain (3 decks)

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