Comservative Domination 1951-64 Flashcards
Why was the post war consensus a consequence of wartime experinece?
Government intervention had helped them to win the war so was expected to help them reconstruct the country
What was the post-war consenus relating to full-employement during war
People saw grester value in keynsian economics
Governments wished to mainted full-employment using keynesian strategies.Ministers would use levers such as cutting taxes and boosting state spending to increase the levels of economic activity
What was the post-war consensus regarding trade unions
Acceptance and some encouragement of trade unions, governments consulted the trade unions reguarly about workplace relations and economic policies.The unions access to governments increased
What was the post-war consensus for government controlled economy
mixed economy,a large role for stste ownership of things such as gas, coal,rail,electricity along with intervention and planning in the economy
What was the post-war consensus regardrding the 1942 Beveridge report
The welfare state,the objects of national insurance and the NHS . The services were to be provided by general taxation or insurance and represneted social citizenship
What was the post-war consenus regarding evacuation and rationing
the government could play a greater role in promoting greater equialty through social engineering, progressive taxation and comprehensive schooling
What was included within the welfare state
medication
healthcare
Benefits
pensions
free-school meals
What are examples of Kenyseain strategies
regulation of business
gov spending
infastructure
regualtion of industry
gov intervention in the economy
When did labour acheive a victory and who was it under?
1945- Clem Atlee
Ways in which labours policies reflected the post-war consensus in terms of the welfare state
National insurance act- unmeploment,maternity,
sickness
NHS act-free medical care funded through taxes
Education(Butler) act- take 11 plus to see what school to attend
Family allowance act- weekly payment for every additional child after the first
Industrial industries act- cover for accidensts in the workplace
Ways in which labours policies targeted financial problems
- devaluation of the pound in order to make exports cheaper, as it had become severely weakened in comparison to the US dollar
-Marshall aid, 1948, US provided europe with $15 billion in return for trade concessions, Briatin got a 10% share
Ways in which labours policies targeted a mixed economy
Nationalsiation between 1946-9the following industries were nationalised: coal,bank of england, road transport,gas,iron,steel
keynesian economics
What were the consequences of labours policies
-charges on prescription medication to make svaings in public expensiture leading to the resignation of people such as Bevan in gov
-economic and finacial diffuclties
-divisions between left and right
-resentment from trade unions
-1950 majority shrunk
-Couldn’t shake the image of rationing and high taxtion
- entry into korean war caused large divides
What is the first past the post system
The uk is divided into 650 constituencies,each one of these elects their own member of parlaiment. The first past the post system looks at how many different areas have the same party aas thei elect6ed leader. This party will then win the overall elction, it doesn’t take into consideration the proportion of votes that they won
What was the conservatives promsie in 1951
restoration and reconstrcution, take the country away from socialism and rationing
Why did the conservatives win the 1951 election?
Labour weakness
-Divisions in the party:
korean war,economic strain about nhs prescriptions
-Exhaustion from post-war difficulties
austerity,rationing and high taxation
-NHS
the promsie of free prescriptions was went back upon
Why did the conservatives win the 1951 election?
Electoral system
- Decline in the liberal party
fell from 2.6 mill to 730,556
-Boundary changes
-Nature of the system
conserv took many of the marginalo seats therefore utillisng the first past the post system
Why did the conservatives win the 1951 election?
conservative strengths
-policies
promsie to build 300,000 houses and end rationing, intoduction of more red meat
- continuation
continue funding into welfare state and NHS, reassuring the public
-Lord woolton
reformed party finances
What did britains share of trade shrink to after the korean war and how much of the GDP was spent on defence.
25% to 15%, whilst defence expenditure increased to 10% of Briatins GDP
what was the conserv criticised for after korean war
failing to modernise staple and traditional industries as it prioritised overseas investments
Did life get better under the conservatives?
wages and living standards
-wages rose from £8.30 in 1951 to £18.35 in 1964
-taxes reduced by 2.5p in 1955 and 3.75p in 1959
-500% rise in car ownership
-TV ownership rose by 91%, simillarily washing machiene owenship
were the conservatives truly responsible for better wages and living standards
yes- cut of income tax
no- global economy on the rise and recovering after ww2, improvement of technology
Did life get better under the conservatives?
credit
-people were able to borrow money and then pay it back in small monthly amounts
-many people were able to go on holiday abroad for the fist time
were the conservatives truly responsible for credit
It was mainly due to actions of the banks and the strenatgh of the glaobal economy, however conservatives
