(Changing political landscape) Rise of consensus politics & political challenge, 1945-1979 Flashcards
Who was in government 1945-51?
Labour
Who was in government 1951-1964?
Conservative
Who was in government 1964-1970?
Labour
Who was in government 1970-1974?
Conservative
Who was in government 1974-1979?
Labour
When was labour in government in this post-war period?
1945-51
1964-1970
1974-1979
When was conservative in government in this post-war period?
1951-1964
1970-1974
CONS govt 51-64 - what kind of society grew in this time?
Affluent society
CONS govt 51-64 - what was continued from Attlee’s labour govt?
Investment in welfare & housing
CONS govt 51-64 - there was continued investment in welfare and housing, but what was causing problems for the future?
Why?
Stop-go economics
Created masses of wealth in Britain, built up inflation.
CONS govt 51-64 - what was worse than what labour was expecting when Wilson took over as PM in 1964?
Give evidence.
Balance of payments
At £800,000,000
CONS govt 51-64 - what was set up as a way of regulating wage demands?
How successful was this?
The National Incomes Commission
Unsuccessful & TU unrest got worse in this period.
LAB govt 64-70 - _________ of __________ ______ had caused ________ linked to _______ ________.
a) balance of payments deficit
b) problems
c) stop-go economics
CONS govt 51-64 - why was The National Incomes Commission set up?
A way to regulate wage demands.
LAB govt 64-70 - what did problems caused by a balance of payments deficit linked to stop-go economics mean?
The pound had to be devalued by 14% in 1967.
LAB govt 64-70 - what had failed?
How?
Attempts to solve industrial problems
“In Place of Strife” written Barbara Castle and Harold Wilson (PM) was rejected in 1969.
LAB govt 64-70 - where did this government see most of it’s successes lie?
In social transformation by passing laws that represented a substantial level of liberalisation.
CONS govt 70-74 - who led this government?
Edward Heath
LAB govt 64-70 - who led this government?
Harold Wilson
CONS govt 70-74 - what did this government see?
The first attempt at abandoning the post-war consensus.
CONS govt 70-74 - this government attempted to abandon the post-war consensus.
What eventually happened and why?
Massive economic problems & continued industrial unrest saw a U-turn.
LAB govt 74-79 - what couldn’t be ignored or defeated?
Economic problems
LAB govt 74-79 - how did Trade Unions feel and what did this do?
Undefeatable in their demands
Deepened social & economic divisions
LAB govt 74-79 - what happened to the post-war consensus?
How?
Ended
Retrenchment
LAB govt 74-79 - what did retrenchment do?
End post-war consensus
LAB govt 74-79 - why did labour end the post-war consensus?
They accepted in 1976 that market forces would play a greater role in determining levels of employment.
LAB govt 74-79 - what did the commitment to ending the post-war consensus help?
(2)
Improve education, helped with 1944 Butler Act & higher education reforms.
Diversifying of the economy, made possible by changes in technology & tourism.
What was the consensus surrounding welfare in the post-war consensus marked by more than anything else?
Generational attitudes
One of the things the consensus surrounding welfare during the post-war consensus was marked by was generational attitudes more than anything else.
Give evidence of this.
(3)
Harold Macmillan = shouldn’t return to pre-war years poverty & the wealthy had an obligation to provide for the poor.
50s/60s - few conservative govt members called for reduced welfare spending.
70s - New Right thinking challenged extent of welfare provision although NHS support continued, even as it became a victim of its own success.
