conservatives 1951-64 Flashcards
what was the post war consensus?
Agreement on major issues between Labour and Conservatives
what were the key elements of the post war consensus?
Mixed economy, NHS, Welfare State, full employment, co-operation with Trade Unions
How many houses did the conservatives build per year in this period?
300,000 per year
Reasons for Conservative fall from power in 1964
Profumo affair, EEC rejection, Home seen as out of touch
When was rationing finally ended?
July 1954
How much did British industrial production increase 1952-59?
29%, however this was far lower than other Western powers (West Germany 125%, France 70%)
When was full employment achieved?
1955 - less than 1% of workforce unemployed
How much did UK trade share (%) decrease from 1950-62?
From 25% to 15%
What was Conservative economic policy?
Stop-go - BoP crisis meant govt implemented controls until crisis was over
How much did men’s weekly wages increase between 1951-61?
From £8.30 in 1951 to £15.35 in 1961
What percentage of women worked in 1951?
20%
What was the ‘satire boom’?
Using the arts to criticise and insult the ‘establishment’
What sectors was equal pay introduced for?
Teachers (1952) and civil servants (1954)
What developments improved the lives of women?
Mod cons (washing machines and fridges)
How many ‘New Commonwealth’ immigrants were there between 1951-60?
250,000
What term did Macmillan use to describe British decolonisation?
‘Winds of Change’
What was Macmillan’s famous quote regarding living standards?
‘Never had it so good’
How much did TV ownership increase between 1953-63?
From 20% to 80%
Why was the Suez crisis so embarassing?
Showed Britain’s helplessness in foreign affairs and reliance on the USA
Why was Labour weak at the 1955 and 1959 elections?
Deep splits in the party (Bevanites and Gaitskellites)
What happened in Notting Hill?
Large outbreak of serious race related violence in August 1958
What impacts did teenager culture have between 1951-64?
increased income buying records and fashion, new music tastes, Teddy Boys
Name some examples of countries that were decolonised between 1951-64
Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Jamaica
What issues did a sustained “go” stage in the economy lead to?
Imports exceeding exports, balance of payments crisis
What controls did the government implement in the “stop” stage?
High interest rates and wage freezes
How did stop-go economics split the Conservative party?
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
Why was EEC rejection in 1963 embarrassing for Britain?
Showed it couldn’t be a great power on its own and its economic modernisation policies had failed
What were some of the reasons for decreased deference to the establishment between 1951-64?
Suez Crisis 1956, Profumo Affair 1963, growth in popularity of satire
What were some of the reasons for decreased deference from the youth to elders between 1951-64?
Youth subculture beginning to differ (clothing, music etc), media portrayal of youth violence (Teddy boys, mods and rockers)
What elements of the arts changed between 1951-64?
Satire, beginning to challenge social taboos such as pregnancy outside of marriage and homosexuality
What was the effect of the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act?
Only allowed in to Britain from the “New Commonwealth” if you had a work permit
What was the difference between inward and outward migration in 1950s Britain?
Outward migration was double that of inward migration
What was the CND?
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
What happened to Britain’s nuclear programme in the late 1950s?
USA shared nuclear secrets under Mutual Defence Agreement in 1958, Britain’s nuclear project Blue Streak abandoned in 1960
What was the impact of the CND?
Showed increased tendency to challenge authority
What were the “give-away” budgets of 1955 and 1959?
£134m in tax cuts ahead of 1955 election, £370m ahead of 1959 election
