British Topic - Chapter 4 Flashcards

1
Q

1951 election - list the polling results

CHURCHILL

A

Conservatives - 321 seats
Labour - 295 seats
Liberal - 6 seats

Labour had more votes than Conservatives
Conservatives won by first past the post

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2
Q

1951 election - by which system allowed C. To win over L. Even though they had less votes?

CHURCHILL

A

First past-the-post

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3
Q

1951 election - how much and L. And C. Increased their votes by since 1945?

CHURCHILL

A
L. = 2 million increase in popular vote 
C. = 4 million increase in popular vote
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4
Q

1951 election - what was special about Labour’s result

CHURCHILL

A

Most votes polled by a party in British history

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5
Q

1951 election - except from divide list the other Labour weaknesses

CHURCHILL

A
  • dealings with post war economy had exhausted party members
  • linked with austerity and rationing which the public wanted to see end
  • 1950 = Korean War caused increased financial problems and taxation
  • nationalisation of Coal and Steel = unpopular
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6
Q

1951 election - List problems with Labour Party divide

CHURCHILL

A

• divisions over charges on dental treatment, prescriptions and glasses - undermined role of NHS

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7
Q

1951 election - Conservative strengths

CHURCHILL

A
  • reorganised after 1945
  • Lord Wolton = reformed party finances + local organisations
  • increase in young and talented politicians such as Reginald Maudling into Conservative party
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8
Q

1951 election - Conservative manifesto

CHURCHILL

A
  • increased red meat (rationed by Labour)
  • 300,000 new homes a year (Labour = 200,000 a year)
  • keep welfare state therefore not damage or get rid of Labour achievements
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9
Q

1951 election - What did people still think of Churchill as

CHURCHILL

A

War time hero

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10
Q

1951 election - how did electorate system damage Labour

CHURCHILL

A

• 1948 = representation of the people’s act = Labour needed 20% more votes for the same number of seats
• votes needed for seats
- 1945 = L. Needed 30,552 - 1951 = L. Needed 47,283
- 1945 = conservative’s needed 46,892 - 1951 = Conservatives needed 42,733

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11
Q

1951 election - how did Liberal demise help the Conservatives

CHURCHILL

A
  • Liberal votes: 1945 = 2 million, 1951 = 730,556

* Labour got safe seats however Conservatives gained marginal seats lost by Liberals and marginal Labour seats

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12
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - overall positives for C

OVERALL

A
  • increased living standards
  • ‘never had it so good’
  • ‘life is better under the Conservatives’
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13
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - overall negatives for C

OVERALL

A
  • increased trade however this was inevitable following Korean War (1950)
  • decrease in share of world trade following Korean War ( 25% - 15% ) - Germany = ( 7% - 20% )
  • GDP growth rates = less than other Eurpeon countries - Italy (5.6%), Germany (5.1%), France (4.3%), British (2.3%)
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14
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - why was industry growth slow?

OVERALL

A

Defence = 10% of research costs rather than on industry

• failure to modernise staple and traditional industries because of overseas investments

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15
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - Labour saying about Conservative rule

OVERALL

A

‘13 years wasted’

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16
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - end to austerity examples

OVERALL

A
  • wages increasing faster than prices
  • 1551 weekly wage = £8.30, 1964 = £18.35
  • 1951-64 = 500% increase in car ownership + TV ownership (4%-91%)
  • Increase In ‘feel good factor’
17
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - What did C do before elections (tax)?

OVERALL

A
  • Chancellors decreases income tax
  • 1955 = decreased 2.5p
  • 1957 = decreased 3.75p
18
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - What was credit and how did it help alongside tax cuts??

OVERALL

A
  • credit = people could borrow more money and pay it back over a number of years
  • increase in purchase of expansive goods
  • consumer boom
  • more people to foreign holidays
19
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - how did credit affect housing?

OVERALL

A

• increase in self-owned properties (1939 = 25%), (1964 = 44%)

20
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - increased living standards examples

OVERALL

A
  • 1954 = 355,000 holes built (300,000 target)
  • 1951-64 = 1.7 million ones built
  • decreased waiting list for new homes
  • 1957 rent act
21
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - What was the 1957 rent act?

A
  • abolishes rent controls
  • increased number of available rents
  • increased rent costs
22
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - C economic policy overview

OVERALL

A
  • similar to L
  • Butskellism - (Buttlee and Gaitskell (L chancellor)
  • increased borrowing = increased spending on Heath, education + housing
  • small growth for welfare state (1951 GDP = 16.1%) (1964 GDP = 16.3%)
  • ‘stop-go’ policies = reacting to economic changes + using interest rates to avoid inflation / deflation
23
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - What did people think of C economic policies?

OVERALL

A

No strat. Just reacting to economic changes

No consistent economic growth

24
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - examples of stagnating economy

OVERALL

A
  • failure to invest in industrial growth = hindered economic growth
  • investment in aircraft, cars + chemicals, production costs = high = uncompetitive in market as goods = too high
  • decreased taxes = increased spending = deficit likely
  • poor balance of payment deficit
25
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - why was C unemployment a failure?

OVERALL

A
  • never got below 230,000
  • 1963 = 878,000
  • Said they would continue L pledge of full-employment
26
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - how did C adapt to Social change?

OVERALL

A
  • continued funding welfare state
  • aware of Social change after WW2
  • Comprehensive school system (all kids to attend same school in local area whatever their abilities, children only take 11+ if parents wanted them too) = abolishment of 3-tier eduction system
  • 600 schools built
  • Robbins Report = ‘higher comprehensive eduction’ - expanded Uni’s (11 built) + providing higher grants to students therefore they wouldn’t be deterred by lack of funds
27
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - why were C able to win 1957 election

MACMILLAN

A
  • Macmillan = good appeal on TV (‘SuperMac’) + Homicide Act by Butler = increased public appeal
  • 3 years after Suez Crisis
28
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - 1957 election outcome

MACMILLAN

A
  • C in power

* majority from 4-100

29
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) (1957-63) - list C failures

MACMILLAN

A
  • decreasing economy - importing more than exporting = poor balance of trade deficit
  • increased unemployment + days lost to strikes
  • July 1962 = ‘night of the long knives’ = SuperMac - Mac the Knife - 7 cabinet + 9 other ministers sacked = decreased public opinion shown in opinion polls
  • EEC veto - EEC economy was better than Britain’s and Britain had a poor economy + Charles De Gaulle rejected application
  • 1963 Profumo Affair
30
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) (1957-63) - when did Macmillan resign + come into power

A

• 1957-63

31
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - What was the problem with Macmillan resigning?

MACMILLAN

A
  • did not want Butler into power = asked Queen for Homes to come to power
  • Douglas - Homes comes to power = chosen by etonians = Homes (came from aristocratic family + out of touch with ordinary people = sign that C had not changed their image
  • Enoch Powell + Ian Maclead said they would not serve under Homes
32
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) (1957-63), (1955-57) - why was Eden’s premiership short-lived??

EDEN

A

• Suez Crisis = withdrawal = lack of politicial will - Eden = foreign secretary 3 times so wanted to achieve success abroad as press was criticising his domestic policies = countries condemned British actions = decrease power

33
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) (1957-63), (1955-57) - Eden success?

EDEN

A

• 1955 = called election = increased majority because of Eden’s personal appeal to women and work of Butler

34
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) (1957-63) - Explain ‘Night of the Long Knives’

MACMILLAN

A

Reasons: • poor economy • poor popularity • parry seemed old in comparison to JFK
Action taken: • 7 cabinet ministers + 9 other ministers replaced
Impact: • SuperMac - Mac the Knife • decreased party unity • Macmillan never recovered authority

35
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) - Conservative Decline - Social Problems - race riots, what happened?

OVERALL

A

Causes: • Immigration blames for job shortages as they were willing to work for less money

Events: • riots in London, Nottingham, Bristol
• 1958 = Nottinghill riots - White-Youths attacked black owned properties

Outcome: • heavy prison sentences on riot leaders
• Salmon Inquiry = blamed immigration for riots, no reference to discrimination of immigrants
•1962 Commonwealth Immigration Act = decreased number of immigrants allowed to enter country based off ethnic origin = this lead to an increase in Immigrants before Act = increased social tension

36
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) (1957-63) Conservative Decline - Social Problems - Youth Sub-Culture what impact did it have?

OVERALL

A

Youth who benefited off increased affluence:
• more money to spend on things such as transistor radios
• not lived through WW2 so did not feel constrained by traditional and hierarchy structures

Youth who did not benefit off increased affluence:
• felt alienated = Youth Sub-Culture = anti-Social behaviour
• entertainment challenges traditional ways
• scandals = therefore youth had less respect for government
• 1964 = mod and rocker fights
• C were associated with traditional + hierarchy culture - appointment of Douglas Home (1963) = showed Government we’re still out of touch with the people

37
Q

Labour out of office (1951-64) (1957-63) - Conservative Decline - What was the main reasons for Conservative Decline??

A
• Economy 
• EEC rejection 
‘Night of the Long Knives’ 
• Scandals 
• social problems: 
- Race riots 
- Youth Sub-Culture