Consensus politics, 1945, 1950 and 1951 elections (T3) Flashcards
Where does the name post-war consensus come from?
- Name given by historians to an era in British political history
- Lasted from the end of WW2 to the election of Margaret Thatcher (1945-1979)
How can the post-war consensus be characterised as a belief?
- Keynesian economics
- Mixed economy
- Nationalisation of major industries
- The NHS
- Commitment to full employment
- A welfare state
- Introduction of nuclear weapons
Why did WW2 set the stage for consensus?
- The national gov.
- The war changed the role of the gov.
- There was a shift from a mainly free-market economy
- The Beveridge report
- Success of collectivism
How did the National Government set the stage for consensus?
They proved the ministers from rival parties could work together + that a broad agreement on key policies could be reached
What is success of collectivism?
An approach where certain problems are tackled by taking away some rights by the common good
How did the war changing the role of the government set the stage for consensus?
The state was forced to take more control - Emergency Powers Act 1940
How did the shift from a mainly free-market economy to a more mixed one set the stage for consensus?
The government used: - Rationing - the Essential Work Order - Conscription - Censorship All in a bid to engage Britain in total war
By 1945, what fraction of British citizens were taking part in war related work?
1/3
How did the Beveridge report set the stage for consensus politics?
- Beveridge envisioned a welfare state that could care for a person from cradle to grave
- The popularity of this report created a “sea change” in British politics
- Rival parties could not ignore its popularity id they wanted to be the party of the government
How many copies of the Beveridge report were sold?
635,000 copies
How did the Beveridge report affect the election results?
Labour’s promise to fulfil the report was a huge contributing factor in them winning the 1945 election
Give 4 reasons why Labour won the general election in 1945?
- Leadership
- Campaigns
- Policies
- Public mood
How did Attlee affect Labour winning the 1945 election?
He portrayed himself as a ‘man of the people’ - during WW2 Attlee had managed the home front showing that himself and the party were capable leaders
Why were people unsure of having Churchill as the PM in the 1945 election?
During WW2 he had lead the country well, however people were unsure about having him as a peacetime leader
How did Labour force an election after WW2?
They broke off the wartime coalition to force a general election
For the 1945 general election - what was the Labour party’s campaign?
- Their campaign slogan was ‘let us face the future’
- Also used ‘labour for him’ or ‘labour for her’ on their posters
- Campaign posters had the British people on them
How did Churchill’s campaign differ to Attlee’s?
–> Attlee toured the country
–> Churchill’s campaign was lacklustre
–> He was so confident in his victory after the war
—> Churchill’s spiteful Gestapo speech was seen as distasteful and poorly judged
How did Churchill’s campaign let him down?
- The Conservative’s slogan was ‘let’s finish the job’
- Churchill’s spiteful Gestapo speech was seen as distasteful and poorly judged
How did Labour’s policies help them in winning the election?
They promised to implement the policies of the Beveridge report - which was extremely popular at the time
How was Labour’s manifesto better than the Conservatives?
-Labour’s manifesto was more specific, ambitious, detailed and thought through
How did the Tories policies lead to them losing the 1945 election?
Churchill rejected teh the report and did not have a clear strategy for post war recover
How did the public mood affect the result of the 1945 election?
Public wanted a change after the harsh war years, they associated the Tories with the high unemployment of the 20s and 30s and failed appeasement
Who won the 1950 and 1951 elections?
Conservatives
Why did labour lose the 1950 and 1951 elections?
- Rationing
- Austerity
- Taxation
- Labour becoming divided
- Tories seen as a united party
- Tory 1947 Industrial Charter
- Influx of young Tories
How did rationing lead to Labour losing the 1950 and 1951 elections?
There was growing dissatisfaction and people were fed up
Why was Austerity a reason for Labour losing the 1950 & 1951 elections?
After 1947 - Austerity wasn’t being perceived as bringing enough economic recovery quickly enough
Why was taxation a reason for Labour losing the 1950 & 1951 elections?
Taxation at 45%at a standard rate was seen as too high
Why was Labour becoming divided a reason why they lost the 1950 & 1951 elections?
Labour ministers were:
- Tired
- Beginning to divide
- Disillusioned
Why did the labour party become divided around the time of the 1950/51 elections?
- Labour became divided after the Bevanite revolution in 1951
- Over the issue of nuclear weapons and the korean war
Why was the unity of the Conservatives a factor of them winning the 1950/51 elections?
They were seen as a united party - especially over the nationalisation of iron and steel
This impressed the electorate
What did the Conservative 1947 Industrial Charter show and what effect did this have in the upcoming elcetion?
It showed that the conservatives were willing to adapt and adopt consensus politics
This contributed to the Conservatives victory in the 1950/51 elcetions
In 1950 what happened in the conservative party?
There was an influx of bright young Conservative politicians
Linking to Labour’s loss in the 1950/51 election
What was the Liberal achievement in 1944?
The 1944 Education Act
What was the Liberal achievement in 1945?
The 1945 Family Allowance Act
What were the Liberal achievements in 1946?
- The 1946 National Insurance Act
- The 1946 National Health Service Act
What was the 1944 Education Act?
Introduces universal secondary education split into three parts Grammar, Modern and Technological schools
Also created a Gov. minister for education
Raised school leaving age to 16 by 1973
What was the 1945 Family Allowance Act?
Gave money to support those with children (child benefits)
What was the 1946 National Insurance Act?
Paid for by taxes
Provided ‘benefits’ in cases of sickness, unemployment, retirement, maternity, widows, guardians allowances for orphans and a grant for funeral expenses
What was the 1946 National Health Service Act?
Gave healthcare to all paid for by taxes but free at the point of need
Allowed creation of NHS in 1948 - Nye Bevan was Health Minister in charge of NHS
