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History: Britain > Chapter 9: Domestic Politics 1929-39 > Flashcards

Chapter 9: Domestic Politics 1929-39 Flashcards

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1
Q

What were the main reasons why Labour won the 1929 election?

A

Conservative weakness
Shift in policy
MacDonald’s leadership
Link with the Liberals

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2
Q

How did Conservative weakness lead to Labour’s victory in 1929?

A

Baldwin’s Conservatives had little to offer with regards to policy other than a slogan of ‘Safety First’ and asking the voters to trust Baldwin.

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3
Q

How did the shift in policy lead to Labour’s victory in 1929?

A

They moved towards the centre - No mention of nationalisation or wealth redistribution. Furthermore, Macdonald took a moderate line during the general strike, showing he put country first.

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4
Q

How did the link with the liberals lead to labour’s victory 1929?

A

DLG pursued far more left-wing policies, so couldn’t realistically support the Conservatives

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5
Q

How did the leadership of Macdonald lead to the labour victory 1929?

A

He was internationally renowned, and issues such as indian nationalism needed a good international statesman to solve

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6
Q

What was the result to the 1929 election?

A

Labour minority govt - 27 more seats than the Tories, propped up by Liberals

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7
Q

What did the labour government attempt to acheive 1929-31?

A

Reduce unemployment & start up economic growth
Show that the labour party wasn’t just for the working class

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8
Q

Who were some notable figures in the Labour cabinet 1929-31?

A

Macdonald - PM
Philip Snowden - Chancellor
Arthur Henderson - Foreign Sec
John Clynes - Home Sec

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9
Q

What was the Housing Act 1930 and what were its effects?

A

Restored subsidies for local housing & slum clearance
Led to 700,000 new homes being built

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10
Q

What was the Unemployment Act 1930 and what were its effects?

A

It restored Conservative cuts to unemployment benefits and removed the need to actively search for work.
However, it was in defecit by 1931 and saw a 10% cut - harsh for some.

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11
Q

What was the Road Traffic Act 1930 and what were its effects?

A

The Highway Code was introduced
Driving offences such as drink-driving became punishable by law

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12
Q

What was the London Transport Bill 1931 and what were its effects?

A

It placed all forms of public transport in London under one authority

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13
Q

When was the Wall Street Crash?

A

1929

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14
Q

What were the effects of the Wall Street Crash?

A

Created mass unemployment across Europe and the USA

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15
Q

What is cyclical unemployment?

A

Unemployment caused by slumps in the trade cycle - regarded as normal in a capitalist economy

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16
Q

What is structural unemployment?

A

Unemployment resulting from changes to the economy - has deeper causes and tends to last longer

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17
Q

What were unemployment figures in 1929?

A

1.2m unemployed

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18
Q

How did the Coal Mines Act 1930 attempt to deal with economic issues?

A

It gave the government central control over production & sale of coal & the ability to shut down inefficient mines.
However, govt was afraid of more efficiency leading to less employees so change was slow.

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19
Q

How did the Agricultural Marketing Act 1931 attempt to deal with unemployment?

A

It tried to sustain prices of food by over-production. However, prices fell in 1934 after brewers refused to pay the price for hops.

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20
Q

How did the Development Loan & Colonial Loan Acts of 1929 attempt to deal with unemployment?

A

Provided £42m for public works

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21
Q

Why were Moseley’s drastic economic measures rejected?

A

Snowden felt they grew state power too much

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22
Q

What was the Financial crisis in 1931?

A

Several banks in Europe crashed such as the Geneva Bank, led to a run on the pound due to loss of confidence in British economic stability

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23
Q

What were the two government commitee reports after the financial crisis 1931?

A

Gregory committee - reccommended cuts to unemployment benefit
May Committee - feared £120m defecit unless taxes were increased & public sector worker pay was cut

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24
Q

What were the effects of the committee reports in 1931?

A

There was a huge cabinet split in Macdonald’s cabinet
Led to him forming a national government

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25
Q

In what ways was the economic & financial crisis the government’s fault?

A

Snowden rejected any radical ideas in favour of orthodox policy
Defence of the gold standard led to over-valuing the £
Britain was short on reserves due to govt allowing the banks to lend on long-term basis but take loans on short term

26
Q

In what ways was the economic & financial crisis in the early 1930s not the government’s fault?

A

Wall Street Crash was an external factor
Snowden’s orthodox economics were supported by most
Maintained welfare payments across the period

27
Q

Why was the National government formed in 1931?

A

Macdonald’s cabinet could not agree on the cuts to be made - Macdonald went to the king who agreed to form a national government

28
Q

Why was there a need for a national gvoernment in 1931?

A

National emergency - total confidence in government was needed
Macdonald’s move to the centre - lost confidence in his own party
Labour govt had achieved little
Public opinion supported it
There was a need for national unity in times of crisis - Conservatives & Liberals both willing to serve when necessary

29
Q

What was the split in the national government cabinet?

A

4 Labour, 4 Conservatives, 2 Liberals

30
Q

What were the main policies of the national government?

A

Spending cuts - less severe than those discussed by Labour
Tax rises - more than discussed by labour (4s 6d to 5s per £)
Abandoned the Gold Standard in 1931

31
Q

What was the Invergordon Mutiny and what were its results?

A

Navy seamen were taking a 23% pay cut, whilst admirals only took 7%. The seamen refused to set sail in protest, and this led to £18m worth of sterling being sold as people feared british instability.

32
Q

When was the general election called by the national government?

A

October 1931

33
Q

What were the results to the 1931 election?

A

Conservatives won 470 seats
National Labour won 13, while Independent Labour won a further 52

34
Q

What was the impact of the national government on the Conservatives?

A

Dominated government & its policy - Macdonald was their puppet to an extent
Due to huge majority, opposers to appeasement could be thrown into the ‘wilderness’ e.g. Churchill

35
Q

What was the impact of the 1930s national government to the Labour party?

A

Split down the middle - ILP won only 53 seats in 1931 compared to 288 in 1929
MacDonald didn’t have to deal with the left wing of the party anymore - branded a traitor

36
Q

What was the impact of the national government on the Liberal party?

A

Furthered their split - DLG opposed the coalition after the election

37
Q

What was the abdication crisis?

A

King Edward VIII wanted to marry Wallace Simpson, an American divorcee. Several problems emerged from this.

38
Q

What were the religious problems with the king’s affair?

A

Challenge to the CofE, Archbishop was hostile to the King. Marraiges between Divorcees weren’t allowed after 1936.

39
Q

What were the political problems with the king’s affair?

A

Edward VIII was politicall indiscreet, and there was fear that his mistress may have access to political papers.
Baldwin threatened to resign if the king did not abdicate - nobody else to lead the Conservatives

40
Q

What were the social problems with the king’s affair?

A

Public opinion may have favoured king over cabinet - Edward was very popular

41
Q

What were the foreign affairs problems with the king’s affair?

A

Ties with the empire could have been weakened

42
Q

How did Baldwin eventually force the king to abdicate?

A

He threatened to resign & made the issue far more public

43
Q

In what ways was the abdication crisis significant?

A

Tories arguably removed the monarch for their own convenience
Churchill & his allies pushed further into the wilderness
Potential for a huge constitutional crisis if nobody was willing to serve
Challenge to the monarch’s role as head of the church

44
Q

In what ways was the abdication crisis insignificant?

A

Lack of press coverage - general public knew very little
King’s supporters were generally political outsiders
Baldwin’s handling made it go smoothly
National government remained as moderate & respectable

45
Q

In what ways was Ramsay Macdonald a good PM?

A

Strong oratory skills
Internationally renowned figure

46
Q

In what ways was Ramsay Macdonald a poor PM?

A

Weak party loyalty - argubaly betrayed Labour in 1931

47
Q

In what ways was Baldwin a good PM?

A

Calm in a crisis
Moderate & stable - gave off an aura of sensibility to the public

48
Q

In what ways was Baldwin a poor PM?

A

He lost the support of his party in opposition
Lacked the great oratory skills of Macdonald

49
Q

In what ways was Chamberlain a good PM?

A

Wide ministerial experience
Often engaged in personal diplomacy with other leaders

50
Q

In what ways was Chamberlain a bad PM?

A

Impatient for opposing views
Appeasement was an example of personal diplomacy gone too far

51
Q

Who led the British Fascism movement?

A

Oswald Moseley

52
Q

Why did the British Fascism movement see limited support?

A

Government Actions - e.g. Public Order Act 1936
Public opinion - messy events such as the battle of cable street
Association with Hitler
Weak leadership - no real strategy
FPTP system ensured electoral failure

53
Q

What was the Battle of Cable street 1936?

A

A public clash between the BUF and anti-fascist protestors - injured around 175 people

54
Q

What was the Public Order Act 1936?

A

Banned the wearing of political uniforms in public - clearly went against fascists

55
Q

Why did the Communist party see limited support in Britain?

A

No support from Labour or the Trade Unions
Trade Unions hostile due to emphasis on class warfare
Leadership has to resign in 1939 for supporting the war
Support was concentrated in areas like South Wales & the East End

56
Q

What was the general direction of Baldwin’s foreign policy 1935-37?

A

Slow to re-arm Britain
Ignored previous treaties & allowed German army to grow
No coherent policy - largely condemned actions then did nothing

57
Q

What was the direction of Chamberlain’s foreign policy 1937-39?

A

Tried to negotiate peace deals with Germany
Accepts Anschluss expansion into Austria & Hitler’s invasion of parts of Czechoslovakia
Only goes to war after invasion of Poland 1939

58
Q

How did public opinion shape foreign policy in the late 1930s?

A

There was a strong anti-war mood - collective security & the League of Nations was popular

59
Q

How did marginalisation of critics shape foreign policy in the late 1930s?

A

Appeasement critics such as Churchill were marginalised and sent into the backbenches
Anthony Eden resigned as Foreign Secretary in 1938 after agreement with Italy

60
Q

What was the Hoare-Laval Pact 1935?

A

Plan discussed between Britain and France to give Italy most of Ethiopia - uproar among League of Nations when it leaked

61
Q

What were some other factors affecting social attitudes towards British Foreign policy in the late 1930s?

A

Sympathy for germany - treaty of Versailles was harsh
Fear of the USSR - strong Germany was seen as a shield from Stalin

History: Britain (7 decks)

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