Clement Attlee Flashcards
1
Q
Who was Clement Attlee?
A
- Born in 1883
- Oxford graduate then trained to become a barrister in a London firm recommended by his father (would sometimes skip work to act as a social worker in deprived areas)
- Served as a major in WW1 and was injured 3 times. Gained a reputation as a caring officer
- Became labour MP in 1922 and leader of Labour Party in 1935
- Acted as deputy PM in wartime coalition government - Attlee was doing much as the hard work of running the country
- Had a wife called Violet who would drive him to election meetings
2
Q
What did Attlee do in the war?
A
- acted as deputy PM and did much of day to day running
- quiet, polite and well mannered
- made sure the right workers, fuel, machines and materials were in the right place at the right time to produce the right products to aid the war effort
- rarely in limelight but can take much credit for WW2 victory
3
Q
Background to the 1945 Election
A
- Churchill was leader of the Conservative Party whilst Attlee led Labour
- Churchill and establishment expected Tory landslide
- Churchill was complacent in 1945 and thought his reputation as leader in war would carry him through yet he was 71 and his election campaign was low key, focusing on the war
- “ A sheep in sheep’s clothing” and “There is less to him than meets the eye” (Churchill said about Attlee)
- Churchill misjudged population faith in Tories - 1.1 million dead in WW1 and and 500k in WW2, 700000 houses destroyed, 2 million homeless, unemployment
- Attlee promised better jobs and welfare
4
Q
The 1945 Election Results
A
- Attlee won a huge 147 seat majority on the 5th of July 1945, promising a ‘New Jerusalem’
- The phrase originated from the bible and aimed for a heavenly place on earth. For Attlee this meant a safe and peaceful society where Britain turned its back on war and enjoyed full employment, better housing, improved healthcare and education
5
Q
What issues did Attlee have to deal with in 1945?
A
- Economy - virtually bankrupt and relying on loans from USA
- Housing - 700000 destroyed
- Rationing
- Social Provision- inequality with healthcare and education
- Couldn’t afford to control its empire
- Unemployment and poverty
- Outdated machines
6
Q
Attlee and the economy
A
- bankrupt and relied on USA
- Attlee sent John Maynard Keynes to Washington to persuade USA to give them a loan of 6 billion but but 2.7 billion n very unfavourable terms
- not enough to fund New Jerusalem meaning a tight budget
7
Q
Attlee and Housing
A
- 1946 passed the New Town Planning Act which allowed quick expansion to build new homes across GB
- 200000 per year were built so 800000 in total under him BUT at least 150000 were temporary prefabs which were designed to last 10 years
- Some new council built housing estates and therefore provided jobs
- However, housing shortages remained
8
Q
Attlee and unemployment
A
- as many servicemen and women returned, they feared mass unemployment however it was partly avoided due to post war building programme, and partly nationalisation
- 1946 National Insurance contributions - those in work give a payout to aid those unemployed
- 1946 National Injuries Act - workers got pay out if they were unable to work due to an injury from the job
- immediate poverty largely avoided
9
Q
Attlee and rationing
A
- remained through Labour Government
- Chancellor Stafford Cripps said a tight grip was needed on nations finances
- meat, butter, tea and sugar still in short supply
- ‘Austerity Britain’ felt like wartime Britain - only taken away in 1954
10
Q
Attlee and the NHS
A
- Beveridge Report implemented (introduction to Welfare State)
- Widespread reforms to the system of social welfare to address what he identified as “five giants on the road of reconstruction” “Want… disease, ignorance, squalor and idleness”
- 1948 = NHS
- All hospitals nationalised, doctors become salaried employees of state, free universal healthcare, paid for by national insurance
- 1945 the Family Allowance Act passed - improved welfare and nutrition of families
11
Q
Attlee and nationalisation
A
- run under socialist principle of common ownership to benefit the people
- industry would be ‘run by the people, for the people’
- hoped that key industries would modernise with government funding
- 1946 = Bank of England and Air Transport, 1947 = coal, 1948 = public transport, 1949 = gas, 1950 = steel
12
Q
Attlee and the empire and education
A
- 1947 - India gain independence as they had campaigned for years and Attlee thought it was not longer morally, militarily or economically defensible to control
- Attlee looked inwards towards Britain and the first major step was to end the empire
- 1944 Butler Education Act - raised leaving age to 15, tripartite system
- Gave working class the opportunity to have access to education
13
Q
The 1950 and 1951 election
A
- 1950 - Labour win by a small majority of 5, however, given that 1.5 million more people voted for them
- A further election was called in 1951
- 1951 - one of the strangest results in history as Labour had more of the population vote but fewer MPs so he lost the election (Tores won some unopposed seats in Northern Ireland)
- Popular vote = total number of votes cast in general election and gives overall indication of how each party was and not always reflective of seats
14
Q
Positives of Attlee Legacy
A
- helped GB recover from near bankruptcy
- avoided mass unemployment
- delivered ‘New Jerusalem’ - housing, health, education
- ‘cradle to grave’ socialism implemented by the Beveridge report and went some way to irradiating poverty, disease and hunger
- NHS survived decades
15
Q
Negatives of Attlee Legacy
A
- wasted most of Britains available funds on welfare handouts which had short term benefits
- would have been better investing in industrial projects to provide economic regeneration
- wasted opportunity
- sowed seeds for nationalisation which would later grow into a monster (not for another 20 years)
- moved towards socialist society where less self reliance and more dependent of state handouts
- some achievements forced onto him - Indian independence
