Change In Political Landscape 1918-79 Flashcards
What political parties dominated British politics for over 200 years before 1979?
Conservative and Liberal parties
The Conservative Party was formerly known as the Tories, and the Liberal Party was known as the Whigs.
What major political change occurred in Britain due to the rise of the Labour Party?
The Labour Party appealed to the working classes and became a serious political force
The Labour Party was founded in 1900 to represent union interests.
Who was the first Labour prime minister and in what year did he take office?
Ramsay MacDonald in 1924
His leadership marked a significant shift in British politics.
What was a significant challenge for the British government after the Second World War?
Massive reconstruction and demobilisation of soldiers
This period required extensive economic and social adjustments.
Which Labour leader became prime minister after Winston Churchill in 1945?
Clement Attlee
Attlee’s government focused on moderate socialist policies.
What was the primary aim of Clement Attlee’s government?
To create full employment and a welfare state with free healthcare for all.
What term describes the years between 1945 and 1979 regarding political consensus?
‘Consensus’ years
Both Labour and Conservative parties generally agreed on economic policy during this time.
What was the prevailing belief of both major political parties regarding economic policy during the consensus years?
Full employment was more important than tackling rising prices (inflation).
Who was elected prime minister in 1979, marking a significant shift in economic policy?
Margaret Thatcher
Thatcher’s election ended the consensus on economic policy.
What does the term ‘trade union’ refer to?
An organisation formed to protect the rights of workers in a particular trade, industry or profession.
What year was the Representation of the People Act passed, and what did it achieve?
1918; it increased the electorate by seven million.
What significant political change occurred in 1928 regarding voting rights?
The Reform Act granted women the vote on the same terms as men.
What event occurred in 1926 that involved a national response from workers?
The General Strike in May 1926.
What was the outcome of the 1935 election in terms of party performance?
The National Government won with 53.7 percent of the vote.
What was the significance of the 1931 National Government formed by MacDonald?
It was a coalition government formed to address the Great Depression.
Fill in the blank: The Labour Party was founded in _____ to represent union interests in parliament.
1900
True or False: The Conservative Party won the 1945 election.
False
Labour won the 1945 election under Clement Attlee.
What year did Ramsay MacDonald first become prime minister?
1924
What was the political landscape in Britain at the start of 1918?
At the start of 1918, women could not vote in general elections, and the Labour Party had not yet made a significant impact against the Conservative and Liberal parties.
What significant political change occurred by the end of 1979?
By the end of 1979, Britain had a female prime minister, and the Liberals held less than two percent of seats in parliament compared to Labour’s 42 percent.
What remained consistent in Britain’s political system between 1918 and 1979?
Britain remained a parliamentary democracy dominated by two parties, with the Conservatives performing consistently well in the polls.
What major political change occurred between 1918 and 1931?
The major political change was the replacement of the Liberals by the Labour Party as the main rival to the Conservatives.
What was the significance of the change in party fortunes between 1918 and 1931?
This change was of long-lasting importance as the Liberals were relegated to third place for the rest of the century.
Who was the Prime Minister from December 1918 to October 1922?
David Lloyd George served as Prime Minister from December 1918 to October 1922.
What coalition was in power from December 1918 to October 1922?
A Liberal-Conservative coalition was in power during this period.
What led to the fall of Andrew Bonar Law’s government in October 1922?
Andrew Bonar Law’s government fell because the Conservatives ended the coalition.
What was the reason for Ramsay MacDonald’s government to lose the election in June 1929?
Ramsay MacDonald lost the election due to party division over policies to cope with the Great Depression.
What happened in 1951 in British politics?
In 1951, the Conservatives won the election, and Churchill became Prime Minister.
What significant event occurred in 1956?
The Suez Crisis occurred in 1956.
What was the outcome of the 1964 election?
Labour won the election in 1964.
What significant event took place in 1973?
In 1973, Britain joined the European Economic Community.
What were the election results for Conservatives in December 1910?
272 seats (46.3% of votes)
What were the election results for Conservatives in December 1923?
258 seats (38.1% of votes)
What were the election results for Conservatives in October 1924?
419 seats (48.3% of votes)
What were the election results for Liberals in December 1910?
272 seats (43.9% of votes)
What were the election results for Liberals in December 1923?
159 seats (29.6% of votes)
What were the election results for Liberals in October 1924?
40 seats (17.6% of votes)
What were the election results for Labour in December 1910?
42 seats (7.1% of votes)
What were the election results for Labour in December 1923?
191 seats (30.5% of votes)
What were the election results for Labour in October 1924?
151 seats (33.0% of votes)
What were the election results for Labour in May 1929?
288 seats (37.1% of votes)
What did George Dangerfield argue about the Liberal Party in 1936?
The Liberal Party was doomed even before the First World War due to its failure to cope with various social issues.
What did George Bernstein highlight about the Liberal Party in 1986?
The party’s failure to adapt to more class-based voting habits.
What was Trevor Wilson’s view on the Liberal Party’s health in 1914?
He argued that the Liberal Party was healthy in 1914 but was overwhelmed by the war.
What was the ‘Coupon Election’?
An election where Lloyd George and Conservative leader Andrew Bonar Law issued a letter to coalition candidates for support.
What was the significance of the 1918 Representation of the People Act?
It allowed all men over 21 to vote and some women for the first time, impacting the political landscape.
What restrictions were placed on women voting until 1928?
Women had to be aged 30 or over to vote.
What percentage of the electorate were women after the 1918 Act?
Women made up 43 percent of an electorate that grew from 7.7 million in 1910 to 21.4 million in 1918.
What was the impact of the 1918 Act on the working-class vote?
The working-class vote was split between all three parties throughout the 1920s.
What was the Labour Party’s status by the end of the 1920s?
Labour became a major political force, winning significant seats in elections.
What was the perception of working-class women towards the Conservative Party?
Working-class women were more likely to vote Conservative, perhaps due to a perception that they stood more for stability and family values.
What were the results of the December 1918 general election for Conservatives?
Conservatives won 335 seats (32.6% of votes) in the December 1918 general election.
What were the results of the November 1922 general election for Conservatives?
Conservatives won 345 seats (38.2% of votes) in the November 1922 general election.
What impact did the Asquith-Lloyd George split have on the Liberal Party?
The split had a disastrous impact on the party, leading to diminished support and internal conflict.
What was the ‘Chanak incident’?
The Chanak incident involved a potential conflict when Turkish troops marched on British positions, leading to opposition from army generals and the public against war.
What is ‘Cash for honours’?
Cash for honours refers to when honours (usually titles) are granted in exchange for political donations or direct cash payments to politicians.
What is the First Past the Post (FPTP) electoral system?
FPTP is an electoral system in which the candidate receiving the highest number of votes in a constituency is returned to parliament, with other votes not counting.
What is Proportional Representation?
Proportional Representation is an electoral system in which the percentage of seats allocated to a party in parliament matches the percentage of votes gained in an election.
What was the significance of trade unions for the Labour Party?
Trade unions funded the Labour Party from membership fees and provided the vast bulk of party membership, aiding its political success.
What led to the rise of the Labour Party after 1918?
Labour emerged united after the war, gained significant trade union support, and represented a growing sense of working-class identity.
When did Ramsay MacDonald become the first Labour prime minister?
Ramsay MacDonald became the first Labour prime minister in 1924.
What was Asquith’s gamble regarding the Labour government after the 1923 election?
Asquith believed the Labour government would perform poorly and rely on Liberal support, which he feared would compromise the Liberal identity.
What was MacDonald’s approach to governance?
MacDonald ruled with economic caution and impressed others with his conduct of foreign affairs.
What led to MacDonald’s resignation?
MacDonald resigned after losing a vote of no confidence, which was influenced by the Campbell case and the Zinoviev letter.
What was the significance of the Zinoviev letter?
The Zinoviev letter, published before the 1924 election, suggested Labour promoted Communism, boosting Conservative votes.
What contributed to Conservative success between the wars?
Conservative success was partly due to a rebranding as a ‘one-nation’ party under leaders like Benjamin Disraeli and Stanley Baldwin.
How did Stanley Baldwin present himself to the public?
Baldwin presented himself as an ordinary man of the people, despite his wealth, and used radio to communicate directly with citizens.
What was Baldwin’s goal in politics?
Baldwin aimed to promote class-based politics and dismantle the Liberal Party.
What was the outcome of the Carlton Club meeting in 1922?
The meeting led to the Conservatives abandoning the coalition with the Liberals, resulting in Lloyd George’s resignation.
What is protectionism?
Protectionism is the use of import taxes (tariffs) to make foreign goods more expensive than domestic ones.
What is free trade?
Free trade is the rejection of tariffs, promoting cheaper exports but opposed by landowners suffering from cheaper imports.
What was the impact of the plural vote before the 1948 Representation of the People Act?
The plural vote allowed certain university graduates and landowners to vote in multiple constituencies, benefiting the Conservative Party.
How did the independence of the Irish Free State affect the political landscape?
The independence led to the loss of support for the Liberals from Irish Nationalist MPs, while the Conservatives retained support from Northern Irish MPs.
What is the impact of the FPTP system on political parties in 1918?
The FPTP system, along with the uneven distribution of votes, benefited the Conservatives.
In 1918, it took an average of 15,943 votes to return each Conservative MP, compared to 29,868 for a Labour MP and 36,116 for a Liberal MP.
Who are the ‘Old Dears’ in the Labour Party poster from 1929?
The ‘Old Dears’ refer to Lloyd George and Baldwin, while MacDonald is the man of the moment in the foreground.
