Depression years Flashcards
What were the long term causes of the depression?
1) Decline of traditional industries
2) Cheaper goods from abroad
3) Fall in demand for coal, ships, textiles, iron and steel. US steel, German coal, Indian Cotton
What were the government responses to the depression?
1) The import duties act - 20% tariffs on all imports to encourage people to buy British - went bad, others put high tariffs on British goods.
2) Means Test 1931 - bad, affected 200,000 men and 75,000 women
3) Leaving the gold standard - good, increase in amount of money in circulation.
4) Special areas act.
What were the effects of the depression on the people?
1) Massive rise in unemployment - 1930 - 30 million unemployed. 2 worst hit areas South Wales and North-East England. 3 million British unemployed.
2) Whole communities became depressed.
3) Women had to “make ends meet” (cult of domesticity) returned.
4) Workers in old industries lost jobs, because they were in decline.
5) Migration heavily increased from places like South Wales and North-East England.
When was the Jarrow March and why did it happen?
October 1936. A ship building yard in Jarrow closed down and this caused 80% unemployment. The town was dependent on that one firm. They successfully marched 280 miles to London but Stanley Baldwin refused to meet them. 200 men marched with female MP Ellen Wilkinson. Although there was little actual impact on government policies towards them, they received widespread sympathy and support.
Why did many people Migrate from South Wales and North East England?
Depression hit Wales very hard - they were heavily reliant on coal. So, people left to prosperous parts of England like The Midlands or London, where light industries emerged. There was also electricity, so coal wasn’t needed as much. 430,000 left Wales in 1920s and 1930s.
The Morris Motor Car company was one of the biggest employers of welsh workers at Cowley in Oxford.
The Ministry of Labour set up a scheme to help unemployed workers willing to move to popular destinations such as London, Coventry, Watford, Slough and Oxford. Many also left to the United States of America, which was seen as a land of opportunity.
How did people use sport as a means of escapism?
Many people watched Rugby. Many also took part in boxing. Tommy Farr, a famous Welsh Boxer who came to be known as the man who nearly beat Joe Louis.
How did people use Cinema as a means of escapism?
1) 2p tickets - very cheap
2) Escape the harsh realities of life.
3) Comfortable seats - contrast to squalid homes
4) Could see their heroes like Clark Gable and Great Garbo.
5) Raymond Trustcott-Jones left Wales to become Hollywood actor - as Ray Milland.
How did people use the TV/Radio as a means of escapism?
1st radio in Britain “wireless” - 1922. At first expensive but then mass produced, so people could afford it. In 1926, the BBC was set up - programmes, plays, popular music, and comedy could be listened to. By 1939, nearly 75% of British families owned a radio. It was cheap entertainment in the home.
What were the new industries emerging in prosperous parts of England?
These were light industries that emerged as heavy industries declined. Cars, radios, fridges were some of the consumer goods that were mass produced. Cars : 132,000 to 2 million from 1913 to 1938. There was electricity which was clean and cheap. Between 1920 and 1938, the number of households on the mains increased from 730,000 to 9 million.
What were the UAB’S?
These were the Unemployment assistance boards that were set up because of the unemployment act in 1934. They were responsible for running the means test and making sure it was only given to those who were “desperately in need” and also if they were “actively seeking work.”
What was the Special areas act and how successful was it?
The special areas act was passed in 1934. The act identified South Wales and Tyneside as areas with special employment requirements, and invested in projects such as the new steelworks in Ebbw Vale. However, investement was capped at only 2 million which wasn’t enough. After 2 years of operation, only 12,000 additional jobs had been created. Generally speaking, the act had been a failure.
Were there really two Britains during the depression years?
Yes. The old Britain was built on old, staple industries like coal and shipbuilding which were in heavy decline. In contrast, The new Britain had new, light industries with electricity, new housing, better roads and rail transport which transformed London. Businessmen found it easier to invest in places like Slough than Merthyn Tydfil. It was also cheaper.
80% of new factories and 65% of new jobs created between 1931 and 1947 were located in London and South East England. There was little poverty in these areas.
During the building boom in those areas from 1932 to 1935 some three million houses had been built. This activity accounted for over 30% of the increase in employment by 1939. Mainly happened in South England and the Midlands.
