Political and Economic Change Flashcards
What year was the Maurice debate
1918
What was the Maurice debate about? Significance?
General Maurice wrote a letter to Lloyd George accusing him of lying to Parliament about the number of British troops.
Asquith led the attack on Lloyd George - split the Liberal party
When was the Representation of the People Act?
1918
Significance of the Representation of the People Act for the Liberals?
Sparked the rise of the Labour Party - 80% of the electorate now working class - led to the decline of the Liberals.
Significance of the 1918 General election?
Coupons issued to supported - Conservatives needed Lloyd George’s prestige. Lloyd George needed the Tories due to the split. Asquith Liberals ousted.
When was the Leamington Conference
1920
What happened at the Leamington Conference
Asquith Liberals tried to kick LG out the conference - he wanted the coalition with the Tories to be a permanent centre party. This split never healed.
What was the cash for honours scandal?
Corruption un LG’s government - sold knighthood - amassed a huge fund but didn’t share it with Asquith liberals.
Impact of the Cash for Honours Scandal?
Without the money, the liberals couldn’t field candidates for the 1922, 1923 and 1924 general elections
What was the Chanak Incident?
Lloyd George blamed for warmongering against Turkey - September 1922. Lead to LG’s resignation and decline of liberal MPs winning the elections.
What was the 1922 Carlton Club meeting
Meeting of the Tory MPs on the coalition - they decide to leave the coalition - Liberals lose their foot on power. Labour steal votes from the liberals not the Tories.
Why was the 1923 election significant
Labour win more seats in parliament in comparison with the liberals - becoming the second biggest party in parliament.
How many seats did Labour win in 1923 in comparison with the Liberals?
191 compared with 159
What was the significance of the 1924 election
Labour is elected with Ramsey Macdonald as prime minister. Labour’s position as a major party is secured.
How many seats do the Liberals lose in 1924
119 seats
How did LG alienate Asquith’s supporters?
Gave the top parliamentary jobs to his own supporters out of spite.
What mistake did Asquith make in 1923?
Backed a minority Labour government - Macdonald acted with economic caution and impressed everyone with his foreign affairs.
How was Stanley Baldwin a threat to the Liberals?
Rebranded the Tories - presented himself as the man of the people - used the radio - promoted harmony between workers and employers.
How did Baldwin win over LG’s supporters at Carlton Club?
Adopting protectionism in 1923 - he later dropped it in 1924 after voters rejected it.
What issue united all liberals that was dropped by Baldwin?
Free Trade
Why was Ramsey Macdonald forced to resign?
A vote of no confidence - however Labour still won the 1929 election due to his economic prudence
How did WWI cause the decline of the Liberals?
They were forced to take illiberal measures - rationing, economic controls, conscription. Made people believe that LG was betraying liberal values.
How did the Liberals become cemented as a third party?
FPTP - favours a two-party contest - Liberals couldn’t convert electoral support into parliamentary seats.
Who was prime minister in 1922?
Bonar Law - replaced by Baldwin in 1923
What was the 1929 election called and why?
Flapper election - following the 1928 Representation of the People Act - all women over 21 could vote.
Who won the most seats in 1929?
Labour but did not have a majority - Liberals had the balance of power - Macdonald Prime minister.
How much did Macdonald try to cut unemployment benefits by?
10% - result of the financial crash - government debt
Why did Macdonald decide to resign?
Unions and some of his party refuse to back the cut of unemployment benefits.
Why was the National Government formed?
Macdonald convinced to remain as PM with Tory and Liberal support. He was expelled by the Labour party but kept some Labour backing.
What was the outcome of the 1931 election?
National government gains the biggest landslide in history of 554 seats. Conservatives were the biggest party within the coalition (473 seats). Baldwin becomes de facto PM.
When and why did Macdonald resign?
1935 - ill health.
What was Baldwin’s term dominated by?
Road to war, appeasement, Hitler.
1936 abdication crisis - on which he was complimented on how he responded to this.
Who became PM in 1937?
Chamberlain
When and why did Chamberlain resign?
Vote of no confidence in 1940.
Who took over from Chamberlain?
Churchill - oversaw the War-Time coalition - like the NG but with more Liberal/Labour support.
Why was Chamberlain welcomed into the role?
Creation of new homes.
Work as Chancellor
How was Churchill successful?
War cabinet, new ministries created, emergency powers act gave wide ranging powers over the people to the government. Minister for Defence as well as PM. Maintained morale at home, maintained parliamentary support.
What helped the National Government’s success?
Managed to hold the centre ground while extreme parties failed to attract support. Stopped the BUF (fascists) and the Communist Party. Labour also suffered entryism of communism.
What was the result of the 1945 election?
Labour victory - landslide victory - Attlee PM - first ever majority labour government.
What aided Labour’s victory?
The war - affected everyone - total solutions needed - universalist solutions. Also - evacuation highlighted class divide and black spots in Britain.
What act was passed in 1946?
National Insurance Act
How far did government approval rates for Churchill drop and why?
Below 50% for the loss of the North African fortress of Tobruk.
What was Attlee’s role in the national government?
Deputy PM - helped with the passing of the NIA in 1946.
What was Attlee’s campaign called?
“Let us Face the Future” and “Land fit for heroes”
What was the first election to have polling?
1945
What did the Family Allowance Act of 1945 give?
Provided mothers with a non means tested payment for each child apart from her first. MP Eleanor Rathbone argued against the payment going to fathers
What did the National Insurance Act 1946 create?
Compulsory universal contributory system to help pay pensions and benefits for unemployment, sickness, funeral expenses and maternity benefits.
What act extended cover for work place injuries?
Industrial Accidents Act of 1948
What act was passed in 1948 and what did it do?
National Assistance Act - established the National Assistance Bureau to provide financial help to the most vulnerable people, such as single mothers, the blind and deaf , who had not been covered by the 1946 Insurance act. 250,000 more people were able to claim a higher rate of benefits after 1948.
What was the Post War Consensus based on?
The ideas of Attlee - generally leftist policies
Define Post war consensus
The post war consensus was the agreement of policies between the parties and included areas of policies such as: nationalisation of major industries (coal mining, transport, gas, iron, steel and Bank of England” and the establishment of the NHS.
What did the post war consensus agree on?
They agreed on “Big Government” - which is state intervention - health care and welfare, education. Agreed on the idea of Keynesianism - in times of economic downturn, there should be high government spending.
When was the Bank of England Nationalised?
1946
What was the aim of Attlee’s middle way?
The aim was to improve the efficiency of failing industries and save jobs. To approve the worker-employer relations and to put the community needs first.
What agency was made in 1947
The Economic Planning Council - provided checks on levels of productions.
What was the impact of WWII on the post war consensus?
- Rationing - bread and potato rationing ending in 1948. Fair Share Schemes. Coal rationed 1947-48 winter.
- Building materials only allocated to essential reconstruction.
- Controls placed on max. levels of rent, profits and interest rates. Not cap on wage increases. Voluntary waive on pay rises - met with some opposition from the right. Rise of Collectivism.
What about Labour policies meant the post war consensus lasted so long?
They were not radical or socialist - Attlee wanted to create a “mixed economy” - prevent failures and curb the excesses of capitalism. No extensive economic planning, no wage caps, adopt austerity.
How did the Conservatives benefit the post war consensus?
Anthony Eden - “one nation conservative” - more paternalistic. Wanted Britain to be taken seriously in foreign affairs.
Macmillan - wrote The Middle Way - response to the suffering of his constituents in Stockton.
RAButler - leading reformer who was the driving force behind the 1944 Education ACt.
How was the post war consensus breaking down by the 1970s?
Keynesian economics seemed to be failing.
Conservatives calling for a return to free-market solutions.
Strikers from public services.
Winter of Discontent 1978-1979.
Conservatives challenging the consensus - Heath and Thatcher
When was the Jarrow March
1936
What was the Jarrow March
March in response to the closing of the shipping yards - petition to parliament.
How much was the war debt
£850 million
What was the response the the war debt?
Taxes raised every year - £18 per capita in 1919 to £24 per capita in 1922.
1922 Geddes Axe - cut its spending from £206 million to £182 million.
Why did these cuts fail?
Cuts were in education, pensions, unemployment benefits, housing and health.
What was the result of the cuts?
Spending began to creep back up again in 1924 - cuts and extra taxation contributed to growing unemployment. Reduction in taxation due to unemployment.
When was the gold standard first abandoned?
1914
When did Churchill return to the gold standard
1925
Why was returning to the gold standard a bad idea?
Government set a high interest rate to cut inflation - encouraged foreigners to buy pounds.
Led to the increase in the value of the pound - desired sign of stability.
Gold standard lead to more expensive loans due to high interest and high exchange rate - exports become uncompetitive.
What was the aim of protectionism?
Protect British goods from foreign imports.
What act gave preference to goods from the Empire?
Safeguarding of Industries Act 1921
When were tariffs introduced
1923, 1925 and 1932
Why did protectionism fail?
Tariffs and protectionism rejected by electorate - fear of more expensive food imports. Limited tariffs added in 1925 - meant industries avoided introducing the changes needed to become competitive - less modernisation. Essentials became more expensive.
When did the government abandon the gold standard the second time?
1931
What did leaving the gold standard do to the pound?
It was allowed to flout against other currencies - depreciated from $4.80 to $3.40
How much cheaper did exports become?
25%
What were interests cuts from and to?
6% to 2%
How much was long term government borrowing cut?
5% to 3.5%
What did slashing the debt repayment cost allow?
Increase in spending - restoration of unemployment benefits in 1934.
What became more available?
Cheaper mortgages
What did the National Agriculture Advisory Service do?
Gave advice to farmers.
What was implemented by the Attlee Government?
A period of Austerity
When was Air transport nationalised?
1946
What was nationalised in 1947?
Cable and wireless
What else was nationalised?
Mining
What was the aim of nationalising?
The aim was to improve the efficiency of failing industries and save jobs. To approve the worker-employer relations and to put the community needs first.
What was the impact of rearmament in 1935?
15% of unemployed people found work in old industries.
How much did trade decline after WWII?
Declined by 2/3
How much did the economy shrink after WWII?
1/4
How was the economy managed?
Centrally managed economy.
How much of the national income was spent on military by 1945?
Over 50%
What ministries were set up to manage the economy?
Ministry of Food and Ministry of Labour
What aspects of the economy did the government manage?
Most - prices, production and rent.
Who was the economy dependent on?
America
How much did Britain receive through Marshall Aid?
£2.7 billion
How much did the UK owe the US by 1945
£4 billion
What was the interest on the loan?
£70 million a day.
What was the aim of nationalisation?
Promote full employment.
What was the compensation package worth?
£2 billion
Define Butskellism
A term coined by the economist to sum up the almost identical policies of the conservative Chancellor, Rab Butler, and the Leader of the Labour Party, Hugh Gaitskell.
What was “stop go” economics?
Short term solutions without making an impact in long term - conservative. Prices rise - stop the economy - raise taxes. Economy dips - go - tax cuts.
Why did stop go economics cause issues?
Could prevent the build-up of inflationary pressure and the go measures were seen to be used to boost Tories during elections.
Define stagflation
Economic stagnation and inflation - inflation and unemployment.
What area was there an increase in investment?
Technology - didn’t make a substantial impact - stagf;ation.
What meant that the National plan never got off the ground?
Lack of departmental resources.
When was Wilson forced to cut the value of the pound?
1967
Why did Wilson lose credibility?
He was determined to avoid further devaluation of the pound after 1949 but had to.
How much was oil price raised by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries in 1973?
70%
Why was the price of oil raised?
Retaliation for American support in Israel.
How much had oil price risen by in 1974
400%
When was the winter of discontent?
1978-1979
How much did unemployment rise by between 1974 to 1976?
Doubled to just under 1.5 million.
What was Labour’s response to increasing fuel cost?
Price caps, wage caps and cut spending.
Examples of old industries:
Ship-building, textiles, mining, steel.
Where were old industries based?
Clydeside, Northumberland, Durham, Lancashire and South Wales.
What describes old industries?
Heavily unionised.
What caused the decline of old industries?
They were reliant on exports - which were damaged by the war.
Who were old industries less competitive than?
European (German) rivals - more government investment in these countries.
Examples of new industries:
Chemicals, electrical engineering and cars.
When was the General strike?
May 1926
Why did miners strike?
Poor working conditions.
Who else went on stike?
Train drivers, bus drivers and power workers - all under the TUC.
What was a cause of the discontent?
Return to the Gold Standard in 1925.
How many miners were killed between 1922 and 1924?
3603
How many miners were injured between 1922 to 1924?
597,158
What did mine owners do in 1925?
Increase the working day
Why did mine owners increase the working day?
Surge in German coal production - made British coal uncompetitive.
Which union represented over a million miners?
Miners Federation of Great Britain.
When was the Sankey Commission?
1919
What was the Sankey Commission?
Recommendation that government ownership should be continued.
What happened in 1921?
Mines were handed back to private owners.
What was the working day increased to?
8 hours.
How long did government subsidise wages?
9 months
How much did the subsidy come to?
£23 million
When was the Samuel Commission?
March 1926
What was the Samuel Commission?
Radical restructure of the coal industry but led to a pay cut.
What triggered the General Strike?
Government stopped subsidising wages.
What caused a state of emergency to be declared?
Printers going on strike in May.
Where was the army deployed?
Liverpool
What did the government use to help get the economy moving again?
Strike breaking volunteers
Who patrolled London?
Polo Club
Who helped with food supplies?
Debutants.
What happened with the strike breakers?
They started to feel respect for the miners
When were the strike terminated?
9th day
When had the government been preparing for a strike?
July 1925
What was the organisation preparing for the strike?
Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies.
Who was placed in charge of a government newspaper?
Churchill
What was the impact of the newspaper?
Turned public opinion against the strike - made it clear that the government would not be held hostage.
What made the strike easier to handle for the government?
Clashes between volunteers and those on strike.
How expensive was the strike for the unions?
Used £4 million of the £12.5 million total strike fund.
What caused the TUC to call of the strike?
National Wage Board proposal - wage subsidies and no pay cut.
What was passed in 1927?
Trade Dispute Act?
What was the Trade Dispute Act?
made sympathetic strikes illegal, exposed unions to financial damages during strikes and scrapped “contracting out”
What year did TUC membership sink low?
1932
Where did working class men begin to look for help?
Labour Party - political solutions rather than direct action.
How many people went on strike?
Over 1 million
Who do the Tories blame for disrupting economic recovery?
Unions
What did Labour argue?
There was no recovery economically - only recovery benefitted rich people.
What did Labour accused the Tories of?
Failing to provide recovery for everyone.
What did Labour pledge for?
Post war reconstruction
What declines during the war?
Agriculture and Domestic Service.
What increases?
Banking and construction.
What stays stagnant?
Transport
What spikes?
National defence
What is the impact of WWII?
Full employment - move towards collectivism and nationalisation.
What increases following WWII?
Cooperation with the Unions
Who was Ernest Bevin
Minister for Labour in 1940 and the Leader of Transport and General Workers’ Union
What happened in 1940?
Defence Regulation banned strikes
What happened in 1942?
Over 500 strikes in Wales.
What happened in 1943?
10% of conscripted men were sent to work in the mines rather than the front line services.
Caused increase in tension as they were poorly paid.
When was the Trade Dispute Act repealed?
1946
Who were unions usually affiliated with after WWII?
State owned industries.
When was I’m Alright Jack released?
1959
What happened in 1964?
Labour come to power - spike in strikes
What % of strikes were wildcat strikes?
90%
In 1968, how many days were lost to strikes?
4.7 million days
What strike happened in 1968?
Wildcat strike in Cheshire in the Girling Brake company as a protest that non union members were touching pump reserved for union members only.
Brake production stopped and 5000 jobs were lost.
Who became the scapegoat for economic problems?
Unions
When was In Place of Strike written?
1969
Who was In Place of Strife written by?
Barbara Castle.
What was In Place of Strife?
An attempt to reduce power of the Unions - was meant to eb a compromise.
How many days were lost through strikes in 1969?
6.8 million.
What commission happened in 1968?
Donovan Commission
What was the Donovan Commission?
Examined the “informal” collective bargaining system.
Why did In Place of Strife fail?
Lacked support of Unions and parts of the Labour Party - failure meant that strike action would get worse.
How many MPs vote against the motion?
62
Who supported IPoS in 1969?
Only the Daily Mirror?
Which leading Labour Politicians opposed IPoS?
Crossman, Callaghan, Crosland, Marsh, Mason, Hart and Greenwood.
When was the 3 day week?
1973-1974
What did Heath announce?
A number of measures under the Fuel and Electricity (Control) Act 1973 on 13 December 1973
When did the Three Day Work Order come into force?
Midnight on the 31 December
What did the three day week mean?
Commercial users of electricity were limited to three specified consecutive days’ consumption each week and prohibited from working longer hours on those days
When did the three day week end?
7th March 1974
What caused the 3 day week?
Consistent miner strikes = low coal supplies.
When was the Miner strike?
1972
How long did the miners strike last?
7 weeks
What pay rise did the miners get?
27%
What else caused the 3 day week?
Oil Crisis of 1973
What was the impact of the 3 day week on small businesses?
Many did not survive despite the government’s attempts to ensure stability.
What did the government discuss?
Restoring electricity for 5 days a week, but it was thought that this would be taken as a sign of weakness and simply further the miners’ resolve.
What happened on the 24th January?
NUM members voted overwhelmingly in favour (81% in support) of a national strike.
What was the National Coal Board’s latest pay offer?
16.5%
When did the strike start?
5th February.
What was Heath’s reaction to the strike?
Snap Election.
What was the Tory election slogan?
“Who governs Britain?”
What was the Tory share of the vote?
37.9%
What was Labour’s share of the vote?
37.2%
How many seats did the tories lose?
28
How many seats did Labour win?
301
How many seats did the Tories win?
297
Who became PM?
Wilson
What were the miners wages raised by?
35%
What did the Labour government negotiate?
A pay restraint of 5% on public sector workers which broke down in 1978.
When was the winter of discontent?
1978-1979
How many workers went on strike?
1.5 million - biggest mass stoppage in nearly half a century.
What kind of workers were the strikers?
Hospital workers, binmen, dockers and graveyard workers
How were the strikes organised?
Some would strike, some would work to financially support strikers.
How much were workers being paid?
£40 a week.
How much were private companies raising striking workers’ pay?
17% despite government sanctoons.
Who won the 1979 election?
Thatcher.
What began piling up int the streets?
Bodies and rubbish
What happened for women after WWI/
They were expected to go back to the household.
Who were hostile towards the more permanent change of women staying in the workplace?
Unions
What was the marriage bar?
Married women couldn’t work.
When did most working class women leave school?
At age 15 until 1972.
What percentage of doctors were women in the 1960s?
15%
What percentage of lawyers were women in the 1960s?
5%
How many women got married as teenagers?
1/3
What is the ratio of women to men getting married before the age of 19?
9:1
How soon did most women have their first children after marriage?
3 years
What did WWII do for women?
Fuelled their desire to work - new sense of fulfilment out of the home.
What did education do for women?
Girls were more equally informed as boys.
What did the Ford strikes and the EEC laws in 1973 do?
They were the catalyst for the passage of three Acts in the 1970s designed to stop discrimination against women at work.
When was the Dagenham strike?
1968
What was the Dagenham strike?
Successful strike by female sewing machinists at Ford car plants in Halewood and Dagenham in 1968.
What was the outcome of the Dagenham strike?
The women won a pay deal of just over 90% of the men’s rate for similar work.
How long were the factories closed for?
3 weeks.
When was the Equal Pay Act?
1970
What was the Equal Pay Act?
Equal pay for equal work - women had to be paid the same as their male counterparts in the same role.
When did the Equal Pay Act become compulsory?
1975
When was the Sex Discrimination Act?
1975
What was the Sex Discrimination Act?
Illegal to treat workers of one gender less favourably than those of the other gender - meant women couldn’t be discriminated in the world of work.
When was the Employment Protection Act?
1975
What did the Employment Protection Act do?
Made it illegal to sack a women if they are pregnant - maternity pay.
