'Never had it so good' or 'Thirteen wasted years'? Flashcards
What was the period one of?
Continously rising living standards
What happened to wages?
Wages were rising faster than prices, with wages going up 72% and prices only 45%
What did Alan Sked and Chris Cook argue?
Everyone agreed ‘that after years of austerity they had the right to take advantage of the improvement’
What did 1957-59 appear to be and what did this allow?
The high point of affluence, allowing the government to lower taxes and increase spending without causing serious economic and financial problems
What did Macmillan warn?
That high public spending, rising living standards, full employment, and low inflation were not all possible at the same time
What did the government do that warrants the claim of ‘Thirteen wasted years’?
Manipulated budgets for electoral gain
Gave little impression of understanding how the economy worked
More concerned with maintaining Britain as a world power
Paid little attention to sluggish growth
What happened regarding the NHS and pensions?
Nothing was done to solve the problems of the NHS
Pensions were updated, but eratically
What was the impact of stop-go policies?
Discouraged investment
What was the disadvantage of government spending?
Too much money went into defence or abroad
What did economic complacency ensure?
That the necessary economic growth would not be generated
What was the focus/legacy of each PM?
Churchill: survival
Eden: foreign policy
Macmillan: social policy and presided over the period when an economic downturn impacted expenditure
Douglas-Home: failed to change direction
What did Shanks in ‘The Stagnant Society’ argue?
Butler’s policies ‘took nearly three years to do so, at the cost of virtually complete industrial standstill and a number of financial crises and industrial disputes’
What happened to the number of people owning a TV?
in 1955 40% of homes owned a TV; by 1959 the figure had risen to 70%
How many people owned a car?
One family in three
