Change in Living Standards Flashcards
How did the Boom, of 1918-20, improve living standards?
+ Lloyd George’s vision of a ‘land fit for heroes’ initially seemed achievable
+ Post-War Boom created ‘peacetime production’ - prices continued to rise, and gov did little to regulate production
- Conditions didn’t actually improve - just appeared they were going to
What were living standards like during the Economic Crisis of the 20s?
+ New industries were emerging and unemployment wasn’t as severe in those areas
+ Young women could often maintain employment as teachers or nurses
- 1 million unemployed (1920)
- 1/3 of unemployed were ex-servicemen
- Beggars in the streets with medals
Explain how regional differences affected living standards (1918-31)
+ Light industries, such as production of household appliances, grew in the SE of England - some areas experienced consumer boom (1933)
- Decline of heavy industries led to decline of living standards (Northern Areas)
- (1933) Unemployment benefits weren’t enough for a minimum diet
- Working-class women mainly went hungry - food went to husbands, and children
- Food was main priority in working-class areas, thus didn’t have many possessions
How did the Consumer Boom improve living standards? (1918-31)
+ Washing machines, electric cookers and other household appliances were often purchased with credit
+ 200k vacuum cleaner sales a year
+ Growth was due to greater number of homes that were electrified - significant improvement in living standards
+ Growing market of consumer goods - beginning of ‘teenage culture’ (30s)
How did food improve living standards? (1918-31)
+ Wider variety of food - fresh fruit imported
+ Improved diets
+ Prices for basic foods fell
+ 20s - 20k fish and chip shops in Britain - affordable treat
How did housing improve living standards? (1918-30s)
+ Many moved from overcrowded terraces in inner-city areas to council houses in suburbs
+ 1 million council houses built in interwar period
+ 30% owned their own houses by 1938
Give the rationing timeline
- 1936 - British Ministry of Food began to make plans for the supply, control, and distributions of foods
- 1939 - 50 mil ration books were printed
- 1939 - Petrol was rationed
- 1940 - food items - bacon, ham etc - were rationed
- 1940 - Ministry of Food established canteens - provided food, ran by local authorities, for those that couldn’t cook at home (victims of air raids)
- Mid 1942 - most food item were rationed, as well as clothing, shoes, fuel and soap
- Workers doing heavy labour received more food - distributed depending on age and profession
- Mid-1954 - completely finished
Explain the consequences of the war (Austerity)
- Utility furniture was rationed, so it could be given to those that were ‘bombed out’
- Labour was given little choice to continue rationing - Britain was bankrupt
- USA ended Britain’s wartime financial lifeline in 1945 (Lend-Lease Agreement)
- Raising standard of living in the immediate aftermath was very difficult
Explain the working conditions post-war
- Large numbers of new jobs created during the war for civilian munitions workers - offered good pay and working conditions
- Average pay for workers increased during the war - more of a demand for jobs - needed more workers
- 1941 - Creches established in factories in order to allow women munitions workers freedom to work (a nursery where babies and young children could be cared for during the day)
What extreme event took place, and what were the consequences? (1946-47)
Winter 1946-47 Dec-Mar
- Extreme heavy snow exposed the extent of Britain’s post-war economic fragility - significant effect on the quality of life
- Coal stocks depleted due to war - coal shortages for British homes - no heat - families had to rely on electric fires, thus increased strain on the National Grid
- Government feared they would start to run out of food - 1/4 of sheep were lost, root veg were frozen into the ground, food reserves declined
Explain the development of pre-fabricated housing
- Product of 1944 Housing and Temporary Accommodation Act
- Small 2 bedroom bungalows that were designed to last max 10 years - wooden walls and flat roofs
- Cheap and quick
- Problems with damp and cold
- Short-term solution to long-term housing problem
Explain the development of blocks of flats
- Easy solution to the loss of large numbers of working-class houses in the inner-city
- 1951, Lawn Flats were built in Harlow, Essex
- All flats were accessible from a central landing and elevator
- Took up less space than housing
Explain the New Towns Act, and give when
1946
- Governments invested in housing in large part due to homelessness caused by war
- Belief that government needed to provide for the people
- Act created 14 new towns across Britain
- Reduce over-crowding of working-class districts
Explain the growth of consumerism 51-79
- 1947 - 1st supermarket opened - short lived
- 1950 - Sainsbury’s - state of supermarket era
- 1969 - Deodorant and perfumes popular
- 1970 - Growth of TV ownership - nearly every household by 70s
- Number of homes with central heating hugely increased - 50% by 1977
- Supermarkets did well - 3.5k in 1971
What is meant by the ‘affluent society’?
Society having more disposable income to spend on goods
