Political Stability and extremism 1918-1939 Flashcards
Who changed the official identity of Ireland in 1937 and how?
-De Valera and PM of Irish Free State unilateraly decalred independence of Eire
To what extent did Ireland lead to instability?
-Anglo-Irish relations tense as De Valera had cut Ireland’s treaty links to GB in 1920s and faced a treade embargo from GB
-However, no return to violence in the likes of 1918-1921
How many communist MP’s were elected in the IWYs and when?
-1 in 1924
-1 in 1935
Name the organisation the CPGB set up to represent the unemployed and state how many members it contained?
-National Unemployed workers’ movement (NUWM)
-50,000-80,000
Explain the relevance of the Jarrow March in terms of both radicalism and stability?
-Marched from Jarrow which experienced 60% unemployment and protested about unemployment and gave a petition to the PM
-They then returned to Jarrow and Jarrow returned to the National Govt. MP
-No real challenge to the political system
How many copies of the Daily worker were sold daily?
-80,000 per day
What did the Labour party refuse to allow in its relationship with the CPGB
Affiliation
Name the Act of parliament that outlawed political violence or the advocacy of revolution?
Incitement to Disaffection Act 1934
Name the newspaper and the headline that indicated establishment support for the BUF (Britain’s union of Fascists)?
-Daily Mail
-“Hurrah for Blackshirts”
Name 2 public events, both involving violence, associated with the BUF?
-1934: Olympia rally
-1936: Battle of Cable Street
What does the Olympia rally and the battle of cable street illustrate with regard to stability and crisis?
-BUF was composed of violent thugs
-active opposition to the BUF
-2 days in total = no real challenge and minor instability
How many members did the BUF have in 1934 and how many in 1935?
-1934: 50,000
-1935: 5,000
Did the BUF run for parliament or for local councils?
-Neither
Name the act of parliament designed to suppress military-style, extra-parliamentary activity and explain how it did this and affected the BUF?
-The Public Order Act 1936
-It banned the wearing of political uniforms (the facists Blackshirts) and controlled public meetings
Name 2 characteristics of the BUF and its politics that contributed to its failure as a popular force?
-political antisemitism, association with Hitler and cult of Moseley and violence
-It did nit attempt to seek political representation
What is the chronological order of the governments of 1918-1939?
1) Coalition Government (1918-1922)
2) Conservative (Nov. 1922- Dec 1923)
3) Minority Labour (Dec. 1923-October 1924)
4)Conservative (October 1924- May 1929)
5) Minority Labour (May 1929-October 1931)
6) National Government (October 1931-1935)
7) National Government(1935-
- 2 Governments in 1930s; 5 in 1920s
Did the Labour Government achieve a majority government in 1918-1939?
No
Identify the percentage of total votes cast for a) The conservatives in 1931 &1935, The national Government in 1931 and the CPGB in 1924 & 1931?
a) 1931 = 55.2% and 1935 = 53.7%
b)67%
c)1924 = 0.3% and 1931 = 0.1%
When did the general strike take place and how many workers went on strike?
-1926
-3m workers went on strike
How long did the general strike last and to what extent dies the duration of the strike show stability or crisis?
-9 days
-Serious instability but was short-lived
How many violence incidents took place in the general strike and is it an example of radical challenge or relative stability?
- 3000 threatened or actual incidents but mostly peaceful
- working conditions motivated strike , not political reasons
-relative stability as strike failed
Name the strike-breaking organisation and explain whether it is an example of forces of stability?
-organisation for the maintenance of supplies (OMS) was made of M/C volunteers who helped to break the general strike - forces supporting status quo and stability
How did the government and its supporters in the media portray the general strike at the time and was this accurate?
-As an attack on an elected constitutional government
-No, strike in support of miners who faced cuts in wages and increase in working hours
Using statistics, describe the decline in strikes after 1926?
-Average number of workers involved in industrial action stood at 2.75m in 1926
-In 1929-39, number steeply declined to 308,000
Why did strikes decline in the 1930s?
-Trade Dispute act
-defeat of the general strike and miners
-severe loss of union funds after 1926
-mass unemployment disincentivized striking
Name the act of parliament designed to suppress industrial militancy and explain how it mainly achieved this?
-Trade Disputes Act 1927 which outlawed sympathy strikes
What happened in 1929 and how did it lead to the fall of the Labour government elected in 1929?
-Wall street crash in 1929
-This led to public spending cuts and the cabinet could not decide the extent of the cuts on unemployment benefits
What socio-economic problem did British society suffer form throughout the IWYs?
-Mass unemployment
Identify who and what was the Geddes Axe and the May Commitee?
-Geddes Axe was the name of the committee led by Geddes which recommended huge cuts to public spending during the coalition government of 1918-1922
-May led a committee in 1930 appointed by the government to investigate public spending which also recommended huge cuts in govt spending.
Identify the domestic reforms of the Labour govt in 1923?
Wheatley’s housing act and some reform of welfare benefits
What was the main objective of the Labour government in 1923?
-To appear moderate by not doing anything radical in govt.
-This is so they could be trusted with governance and so they were not linked with socialism
When did the abdication crisis take place?
1937
What did the abdication crisis illustrate about the nature of the constitutional government?
-Constitutional government was strong as King Edward accepted his abdication after Baldwin threatened to end his government
-Supporters and opponents of Edward believed in the monarchy just differed over the identity of the monarch and there was no republicanism
