3.7 Depression and the dole" poverty in the interwar years, 1920-39 Flashcards
What was the overall impact of the Depression in Britain?
For many people the 1920s and 30s wee years of reasonable prosperity (new industries, improvements in health care and education)
Yet many experienced extreme poverty in places where old industries was abundent
Where were the worst effected areas in Britain, and why were they the worst effected?
The north west, north east, northern ireland, south wales and clyside
Old industries are already in decline, 1920s growing competition from the USA and Japan meant that British products were more expensive
International disarmament, reduced ship building= 1933 only 133,000 tonnes of ship building
Why did being main trade partners with the USA effect Britain?
USA put high tariffs on foreign goods, Britons manufacturers had limited markets
Why did the south and south of east of Britain experience remarkable growth?
New industries:
They adapted to the new light industries and invested in them
Where places where motor vehicles, building industries, chemical production, printing and electrical engineering were main industries
Car industry produced 511,000 cars in 1937 and over 1 million houses were built
Able to meet the growing post-war demand for convince and leisure amongst certain classes
Government induced tariffs supported new industries: McKenna duties 33% tariff on importing commercial vehicles, Safeguarding of Industries Act 33% tariff on synthetic chemicals
The Jarrow March
200 men marched 300 miles to London from Jarrow, due to the closing of Palmers shipyard
Though the constitutional crisis overshadowed their plight, there were no short term effects
The Hunger marches, successes
1932 March did lead Parliament to question things about the means test and they did get covered from the national press
November 1936 the Labour party gave its support, and Atlee addressed the same crowd of 12,000 from the same platform as Wal Cannington (creator of the NUWM)
The Hunger marches, failures
Many marches led to violent clashes between the police and demonstrators, e.g. 1932 march led to several days of rioting
Had little effect on government policy
1927, the first welsh hunger march, opposition from Trade Union Congress, and the press and government remained hostile to them
1934 Incitement to Disaffection act, many hunger march demonstrators were more easily arrested because of this Act
The Labour Government and the May report
Chancellor of Exchequer, Phillip Snowden, set up a committee headed by George May, on what could be done to reduce national expenditure, report calculated that 120 million was needed
Cuts were suggested:
unemployment benefit by 10%
The national government Acts and measures
the unemployment Act 1934
special areas Act 1934
National government backed the iron and steel federation
1935 government scheme (allowed ship owners to get gov loans scrap old ships and buy new ones)
The national government Acts and measures
the unemployment Act 1934= led to protests due to it having set national rates, it gave no thought to worse hit areas
special areas Act 1934= gov financed projects and created jobs for the worst hit areas
National government backed the iron and steel federation 1932= supervised the demolition of old works and built new ones, thus created jobs
1935 government scheme (allowed ship owners to get gov loans scrap old ships and buy new ones)= created jobs for ship workers
