conservatives 1951-64

Question 1

what was the post war consensus?

Answer 1

Agreement on major issues between Labour and Conservatives

Question 2

what were the key elements of the post war consensus?

Answer 2

Mixed economy, NHS, Welfare State, full employment, co-operation with Trade Unions

Question 3

How many houses did the conservatives build per year in this period?

Answer 3

300,000 per year

Question 4

Reasons for Conservative fall from power in 1964

Answer 4

Profumo affair, EEC rejection, Home seen as out of touch

Question 5

When was rationing finally ended?

Answer 5

July 1954

Question 6

How much did British industrial production increase 1952-59?

Answer 6

29%, however this was far lower than other Western powers (West Germany 125%, France 70%)

Question 7

When was full employment achieved?

Answer 7

1955 - less than 1% of workforce unemployed

Question 8

How much did UK trade share (%) decrease from 1950-62?

Answer 8

From 25% to 15%

Question 9

What was Conservative economic policy?

Answer 9

Stop-go - BoP crisis meant govt implemented controls until crisis was over

Question 10

How much did men’s weekly wages increase between 1951-61?

Answer 10

From £8.30 in 1951 to £15.35 in 1961

Question 11

What percentage of women worked in 1951?

Answer 11

20%

Question 12

What was the ‘satire boom’?

Answer 12

Using the arts to criticise and insult the ‘establishment’

Question 13

What sectors was equal pay introduced for?

Answer 13

Teachers (1952) and civil servants (1954)

Question 14

What developments improved the lives of women?

Answer 14

Mod cons (washing machines and fridges)

Question 15

How many ‘New Commonwealth’ immigrants were there between 1951-60?

Answer 15

250,000

Question 16

What term did Macmillan use to describe British decolonisation?

Answer 16

‘Winds of Change’

Question 17

What was Macmillan’s famous quote regarding living standards?

Answer 17

‘Never had it so good’

Question 18

How much did TV ownership increase between 1953-63?

Answer 18

From 20% to 80%

Question 19

Why was the Suez crisis so embarassing?

Answer 19

Showed Britain’s helplessness in foreign affairs and reliance on the USA

Question 20

Why was Labour weak at the 1955 and 1959 elections?

Answer 20

Deep splits in the party (Bevanites and Gaitskellites)

Question 21

What happened in Notting Hill?

Answer 21

Large outbreak of serious race related violence in August 1958

Question 22

What impacts did teenager culture have between 1951-64?

Answer 22

increased income buying records and fashion, new music tastes, Teddy Boys

Question 23

Name some examples of countries that were decolonised between 1951-64

Answer 23

Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Jamaica

Question 24

What issues did a sustained “go” stage in the economy lead to?

Answer 24

Imports exceeding exports, balance of payments crisis

Question 25

What controls did the government implement in the "stop" stage?

Answer 25

High interest rates and wage freezes

Question 26

How did stop-go economics split the Conservative party?

Answer 26

Some wanted to implement monetarist policies to end the stop-go cycle, while one-nation Conservatives opposed this as it would lead to increased unemployment and housing cutbacks

Question 27

Why was EEC rejection in 1963 embarrassing for Britain?

Answer 27

Showed it couldn't be a great power on its own and its economic modernisation policies had failed

Question 28

What were some of the reasons for decreased deference to the establishment between 1951-64?

Answer 28

Suez Crisis 1956, Profumo Affair 1963, growth in popularity of satire

Question 29

What were some of the reasons for decreased deference from the youth to elders between 1951-64?

Answer 29

Youth subculture beginning to differ (clothing, music etc), media portrayal of youth violence (Teddy boys, mods and rockers)

Question 30

What elements of the arts changed between 1951-64?

Answer 30

Satire, beginning to challenge social taboos such as pregnancy outside of marriage and homosexuality

Question 31

What was the effect of the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act?

Answer 31

Only allowed in to Britain from the "New Commonwealth" if you had a work permit

Question 32

What was the difference between inward and outward migration in 1950s Britain?

Answer 32

Outward migration was double that of inward migration

Question 33

What was the CND?

Answer 33

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

Question 34

What happened to Britain's nuclear programme in the late 1950s?

Answer 34

USA shared nuclear secrets under Mutual Defence Agreement in 1958, Britain's nuclear project Blue Streak abandoned in 1960

Question 35

What was the impact of the CND?

Answer 35

Showed increased tendency to challenge authority

Question 36

What were the "give-away" budgets of 1955 and 1959?

Answer 36

£134m in tax cuts ahead of 1955 election, £370m ahead of 1959 election