post war consensus

Question 1

outline the term consensus

Answer 1

the term consensus can be defined as a broad agreement exists between parties on important areas of policy

Question 2

to what extent was a consensus reached

Answer 2

it will be argued that there was indeed agreement between the major parties on fundamental issues. However, the parties often differed in terms of attitude and approach, thus suggesting that ‘consensus’ is too strong a word to describe this period.

Question 3

assess the degree of consensus in regard to three key areas:

Answer 3

economic policy; social policy
commitment to full employment
nationalisation of key industries
commitment to welfare state

Question 4

outline the consensus in economic policy

Answer 4

Perhaps the most significant area in which to measure the extent of political consensus is through the assessment of economic policy in the post-war period.

Question 5

example of consensus in economic policy (nationalisation)

Answer 5

Crucially, it was a Labour government responsible for the nationalisation of coal, gas, electricity, iron and steel in the 1940s

while the Conservatives remained opposed to such measures, pledging to reverse the statutes and return the industry to the private sector

Question 6

to what extent did economic policy demonstrate consensus between the two major partys

Answer 6

it would be too simplistic to make the assumption that this meant a consensus had been reached. Rather,it suggests that a compromise, as opposed to agreement, was reached, with the Conservatives accepting public ownership “unwillingly”because they sought to avoid causing further disruption.

Question 7

why did the conservatives want to avoid disruption by reversing labours policys

what did this mean for the extent of consensus

Answer 7

contextually both partys shared the priority of not returning to 1930s unemployment levels (2.5m)

therefore it is clear that, at least until the early 1970s, public ownership remained a point of consensus between the two main parties; However unwilling the Conservatives may have been

Question 8

what is another strategy which initially points towards a consensus between the two main parties.

Answer 8

strategy towards employment is arguably another key aspect of post-war economic policy which initially points towards a consensus between the two main parties.

Question 9

outline the context of mass unemployment during interwar period

Answer 9

Following the mass unemployment which characterised the inter-war period, the Second World War virtually eradicated this problem.

Understandably, both Labour and the Conservatives sought to maintain this at the end of the war

Question 10

when was the commitment ro full employment achieved by labour gov

Answer 10

labour government achieved it priority in first four years between 1947-51 in which unemployment remained below 300,000

Question 11

continuation of commitment to full employment lasted over how many decades?

Answer 11

The belief in Keynesianism and commitment to full employment was maintained for three decades, with unemployment averaging less than 3 per cent between 1945 and 1970

Question 12

What does this reveal about the consensus between parties

Answer 12

undeniably, this revealed a clear consensus between both parties as full employment was indeed maintained

although this may have been in aim of being re elected and benefits for economy/ public morale

Question 13

what is A further key area, which is essential to discuss in order to assess the extent to which there was a consensus in post-war British politics?

Answer 13

is social policy, with particular reference to the National Health Service, welfare, and education

Question 14

how can it be argued that there was a consensus in regards to the maintenance of the welfare state?

Answer 14

A strong argument can be made to support the assertion that there was indeed a great deal of consensus between the two main parties regarding the welfare state. By the fall of the Labour government in 1951, the foundations were arguably complete

but, crucially, if the newly-elected Conservative government had reversed Labour’s plans, the NHS and welfare state would not have come into existence.

Question 15

what does conservatives acceptance of welfare state imply about the consensus

Answer 15

The very fact that the Conservatives chose to continue with Labour’s plans implies a mutual appreciation and “acceptance of the key principles” which underpinned welfare provision.

In fact, every government, regardless of party, committed to “maintaining and improving” [19] the welfare state, except for the Heath government between 1970 and 1972.

even though they had no plans to expand the welfare state as dramatically as labour would have hoped, this is a key demonstration that a consensus had been reached

Question 16

contrasting evidence which undermines the extent of consensus to welfare state

Answer 16

However, despite evidence of a strong, universal commitment to the welfare state between 1945 and 1974, there is evidence of greater divergence between the two parties

Question 17

what did conservatives begin to doubt in the 1960s/70s

Answer 17

Crucially, in the 1960s, elements within the Conservative party began to “doubt” [21] the concept of universal welfare provision,
These divisions continued to grow throughout the 1960s and early 1970s as right-wing Conservatives began “claim(ing) that high levels of welfare spending were (…) undermining the economy

Question 18

limitations of consensus

Answer 18

Significantly, this illustrates the limitations of consensus, suggesting that party ideology was not compromised in the name of consensus.

numerous points demonstrate Labour and the Conservative party have shared a common vision for post-war Britain. However, there are also many examples of disagreement and divergence between the main parties. Fundamentally, it is clear that both parties shared broadly similar goals and policies but differed in terms of their attitude and approach to achieving their shared vision.

In spite of the disagreements which occurred, there were no major shifts in policy and the existence of a broad consensus is undeniable.

Question 19

welfare expenditure as a percent of GDP in 1964

Answer 19

welfare state expenditure continued to grow and was 19.3% of overall GDP in 1964

Question 20

conservatives overall did/ did not adhere to labours policies

Answer 20

they did; commitment to full employment; welfare state; mixed economy

term butskellism coined to describe almost identical policies of the two parties