British Domestic Politics 1929-1939 Flashcards
What domestic measures did the Labour government introduce 1930?
The housing Act
The unemployment insurance act
The road traffic act
Who passed the Housing Act 1930?
Arthur Greenwood
What did the 1930 Housing Act do?
Restored the subsides for local authorities to build houses which was govern by the 1924 Wheatley act but reduced by the conservatives.
Began subsides for Slum clearance
What were the successes of the 1930 Housing Act?
It built 700K affordable houses for the working class Slum clearance schemes put into place across the country
What did the Unemployment Insurance Act 1930 do?
The act restored cuts made in the unemployment provision by the conservatives and increased the number of unemployed eligible for transitional benefits. Transitional benefits was the money paid out to the unemployed when their unemployment scheme ran out.
What were the successes of the unemployment insurance act 1930?
There was more money available and the requirements that payments were limited to those genuinely seeking work was removed as being insulting to the unemployed.
What were the limitations of the 1930 unemployment insurance act?
in 1931 due to the rising unemployment and reduced insurance income there was a shortage of funds, the government set up a Gregory committee which recommended cuts.
What did the road traffic act of 1930 introduce?
Drivers had to have third party insurance and driving tests introduced, initially only for disabled though.
Driving offences introduced such as drink driving.
regulations of buses and coaches
Highway code introduced.
When were driving tests for all new drivers introduced?
1934
What was a failure of the 1930 Road traffic act?
Speed limits were abolished and not reimposed at 30mph until 1934 following a number of road accidents.
When was the London Transport Bill introduced and what did it do?
Introduced by morrison 1931, brought Londons trams, buses, and underground under one public authority, the London Passenger Transport
authority, it came into force under conservative dominated national government in 1933
What did the Agricultural Marketing Act do and when was it introduced?
1931 - increased controls over producers, the principle was accepted by coalition and extended into the 30’s.
What measures did Labour try but fail to pass?
Feb 1931 - tried to raise school lesving age to 15
Tried to pass trade disputes bill - conservatives had restricted trade unions rights to strike in the trade disputes act 1927 and Labour tried to reverse it.
The government was a minority so could not pass bills without the support of other parties
Electoral Reforms - wanted to end the i tactics of plural voting when people had property or businesses or went to oxford / cambridge as it seemed u democratic.
What economic effects did the 1929 Wall Street Crash in the US have on GB?
Reduction in European trade - the value of british exports fell by 50%
Unemployment rose to 3 million by the end of 1932
industries like coal and shipbuilding were especially affected - staple industries which GB relied on.
What policies did Snowden as Chancellor take?
Followed orthodox economic policies, free trade, kept to the gold standard, and balanced budget, A balanced budget meant balancing spending against earning, Snowden believed the government shouldn’t go into debt and only spend what they have.
Rationalisation - believed struggling industries should be reconstructed and concentrated on staple industries. Which involved closing down weak mines and docks so stronger ones will survive.
Tackled over production by making working days shorter (7.5 hours) so less was produced as over production caused deflation.
Limited public works schemes
Agricultural Marketing Act 1931 - established the right for any sector of farming to set up a marketing board however a hops marketing board was the only one set up in 1932 which increased the price of Hops 1932. however backfired as there was a protest from brewers
What economic problems was the 1929 Labour gov faced with?
Agricultural suffering from falling prices of their goods.
Unemployment - little public works schemes
Over production
Struggling industries
