1A - A Changing Political Landscape 1918-1945 Flashcards
How much did GB owe in war debts and who to?
£3.2 billion owed to the USA
What did the Liberal Party stand for in 1918?
Believed in free trade and a limited role for government
Party of social reform
E.G 1906: implemented state pensions, unemployment relief and the beginnings of state provided healthcare
Which party had dominated politics prior to WW1 and what issues did they face?
The liberal party and they faced issues over the Home Rule, the women’s suffrage movement and a militant TU movement
Why were the Liberals divided after WW1?
Disagreement over state intervention and the issue of conscription
Liberal DLG headed the Conservative Coalition and they felt he was more like a Conservative
1918 election, independent Liberals stood against DLG
What did the Labour Party stand for in 1918?
Closely tied to unions as they evolved from TUC
Unions thought could advance working men’s pay and conditions via getting union backed MPs into parliament
How had the Labour Party grown between 1906-1918?
1906: 1,000,000 members, 29 MPs in parliament
1910: 40 MPs
1918: Increase in members
Why did the Labour Party grow between 1906-1918?
1911 easier for WC politicians to be elected as they were allowed wages for MPs
ROTP 1918 allowed the electorate to X3 from 7.7 million voters to 21.4 million
What did the Conservative Party stand for in 1918?
Associated with the landed gentry
Electoral reform forced the party to change and attract new supporters
Party of the MC and of the WC who wanted to better themselves through property ownership
How did DLG cause immediate decline
June 1922 - Scandal - DLG sold 1500 knighthoods and 100 peerages. Some sold to newspaper reporters so they wouldn’t cover the story.
Decided to go to war with Turkey
How was DLG seen after WW1?
A national hero, known as the man who won the war. Humble background: grew up in North Wales and was an enemy of privilege and no friend of the House of Lords.
How did the Liberal/Conservative coalition do in the 1918 election?
Won by a landslide victory but Tories were more popular: won 3X as many votes.
When was the first Labour government and was it a minority or a majority?
The first Labour government was in 1924 led by Ramsay MacDonald. It was a minority government.
How did Tory newspapers try and blacken the name of labour in the 1920s?
By comparing Labour with the Soviets suggesting that they had Soviet sympathisers in cabinet.
What was Labour’s biggest issue?
Strained relations with the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party due to the economic climate forcing RMD to make harsh decisions
Did RMD impose reforms in his 1924 gov?
Passed acts like the Housing Act 1924: increased the money available to build homes for low income earners.
Why didn’t RMD impose many reforms?
Minority gov, only lasted for 9 months, poor economic climate
Why did the RMD gov collapse?
motion of no confidence - forced to resign
RMD accused of communist sympathies due to not charging a newspaper writer - John Ross Campbell for producing communist propaganda
How did the Daily Mail damage Labour’s election campaign for the GE in 1924?
By publishing a forged letter to the British Communist Party
How did the Liberals do in the 1924 election?
The Liberals saw a 12% decline in their votes and a loss of 118 seats
Why did the Conservatives do well in the 1924 election?
Disappointed first time Labour voters voted Tory as did Liberal voters as they lost faith in their party.
How did SB present the Conservatives in 1924-1929?
Alternative to the Labour party and the threat of socialism in GB
Appeal to all social classes and appear moderate
Believed a class war occurred under MacDonald
Discouraged the Conservatives from attacking Labour as agents of the USSR
Why did RMD return to power in 1929?
SB held a GE and had the largest share of the votes but not a majority
Why was RMD more able to pass social reforms in his 1929 term still without a majority?
He was dependent on the Liberals whom he had a good relationship with
What reforms did RMD pass in his 1929 term?
1930 Housing Act - cleared ¾ of slum houses and replaced them with modern houses by 1939
Coal Mines Act 1930 - better pay for workers and more efficienct pits, but mine owners could ignore it
Unemployment Insurance Act - created public work schemes to alleviate unemployment
What economic problems were there by 1931?
Rumours of an unbalanced budget= need for borrowing Banks sold the pound in panic = slumped in value.
To reassure banks gov promised tax hikes and 10% cut in unemployment assistance.
What was the consequence of RMD’s response to economic problems in 1931?
Split the labour cabinet causing RMD to resign. RMD formed a Nat Gov - him and his chancellor of the exchequer were viewed as traitors to the Labour party.
How did the NG do in the 1931 election?
NG won by a huge majority but the Tories had the most seats - RMD was still prime minister but only a figurehead
Labour’s share of the votes fell
How was RMD’s premiership defined in 1931-1935?
Dominated by the Great Depression
Some attempts were made to rearm
Situation in Europe became increasingly threatening
Fascism at home
What economic policies did RMD put in place?
Public sector pay cuts of 10%
Tariffs imposed
1933 - the end of the Gold Standard and low interest rates = economic recovery = popular NG
What happened to the Labour Party in the 1930s?
Reorganised itself at the starts of the 1930s. Official opposition to the gov. Clement Attlee gained them 154 seats at 1935 GE. Labour votes rapidly recovering.
How did extreme political ideas grow in the 1930s?
1934 - British Union of Fascists had 50,000 members
1934 - Communist Party of Great Britain had 9000 members - although partly due to high unemployment
Intellectuals visited the Soviet Union believing in Communism
What sparked debate over rearmament in 1933?
Adolf Hitler appointed as chancellor
How did people show they were against rearming?
Many people joined organisations like the Peace Pledge Union and the League of Nations Union that supported peaceful resolution to conflicts.
How did GB rearm in 1934?
RAF increased to 40 squadrons
British Army reorganised
Royal Navy expanded
Munitions industry was developed in partnership with private capital
Why did SB replace RMD and what did he pledge?
RMD was ill, pledged new houses, jobs and gov help for deprived areas of the country, improvement of defense.
Why was Labour divided over rearming?
Left believed rearmament increased the chance of war, the centre believed it would make war impossible
When did Hitler break the TOV and what consequence did it have?
1936 by reoccupying the Rhineland. Labour opposed imposing economic sanctions on Germany. NG divided over taking action or backing down.
What was NC’s premiership characterised by, 1937-1940?
Economic recovery, falling unemployment and stable prices, main issue was opposition to rearm
Why was NC replaced after he declared war in 1939?
Faced fury of gov opposition for incomplete handling of the war - narrowly won a vote of no confidence
Attempted to form a new coalition gov but Labour wouldn’t serve under him
What happened in Churchill’s premiership, 1940-1945?
Situation deteriorated in France - GB force withdrew from Dunkirk, Germans swept through France
Halifax proposed a negotiated settlement with Germany but WC argued GB would be a ‘slave state’
