Macmillan's 'never had it so good' - how true was it? Flashcards
wages - evidence to support quote:
-steady rise in average earnings after WW2
-1950 = 6.8s, 1964 = £18.35
-even though inflation increased, it never overtook the increase in real wages
-greater availability of credit
wages - evidence to challenge quote:
-inflation still increases!
housing - evidence to support quote:
-electrification was extended to even rural places
-Macmillan achieved the 300,00 homes a year promise
-1951-64 = 1.7 million hones built
-housing market boomed, property owning democracy was created
housing - evidence to challenge quote:
-1957 rent act: rents rose significantly so some tenants couldn’t afford leases
-the number of people living in council houses was still a lot higher than the number of private homeowners
employment - evidence to support quote:
-almost full employment
-only reached 2% unemployment 8 times between 1948 and 1970
employment - evidence to challenge quote:
-unemployment did increase
-1957 = 383,000 unemployed
-1954 = 501,000 unemployed
education - evidence to support quote:
-education minister introduced idea of abolishing 11+ entrance exams
-conservatives decided the comprehensive system was the best idea and made purpose built schools
-this created a fairer system
education - evidence to challenge quote:
- comprehensive schools denied able children from disadvantaged backgrounds
-selection by ability became selection by income
leisure - evidence to support quote:
-by 1965 37% of people had a car, which increased social and career opportunities
-the public went to the cinema a lot - 9/10 kids went regularly
-purchasing of consumer goods rose by 8%
-hobbies thrived as people had more free time, classic seaside towns e.g. Brighton became popular holiday destinations
leisure - evidence to challenge quote:
-still only less than 2% of people went on foreign holidays
