Post-War Consensus + Age of Affluence

Question 1

Features of the Post War Consensus

Answer 1

• NHS
• Full Employment
• Welfare State
• Government Intervention

Question 2

Conservative Prime Ministers 1951-1963

Answer 2

• Churchill (1951-1955)
• Eden (1955-1957)
• Macmillan (1957-1963)

Question 3

Features of “Stops” (Stop-Go Economics)

Answer 3

• High interest rates
  • Less spending, more saving
• High taxes

Question 4

Features of “Go’s” (Stop-Go Economics)

Answer 4

• Low Taxes (Tax Cuts)
• Low interest rates

Question 5

Role of Women

Answer 5

• Societal expectations of “wives” and “mothers” still prevelant
• 30% of people in education are women by 1970
  • BUT only 5% of women had managerial positions
• Labour saving devices gave women more time to work
• “Female Jobs”: Nursing, Teaching

Question 6

Labour Divisions

Answer 6

• Bevan vs Gaitskill
• Bevanites vs Gaitskillites
• Prescription charges
• Later, CND
• Party divided: unelectable

Question 7

Suez Crisis 1956

Answer 7

• Invasion of Egypt
• Britain, Israel, France
• Nasser wanted a nationalised canal FOR Egypt
• NOT approved by America
• Complete humiliation for Eden and Britain
• Economic sanctions from America

Question 8

Macmillan 1957-1963

Answer 8

• Nicknamed Supermac
• Built 300,000 homes per year
  • 100,000 more than Labour in previous decade
• Repaired relations with the USA

Question 9

Social Changes In the Period

Answer 9

• Consumerism
• Credit
  • Meant many could buy new “Labour Saving Devices” - Washing Machines
• 74% of British Households had TVs by 1961

Question 10

Youth Culture In this Period

Answer 10

• Emergence of “Teenage” Culture
• Teddy Boys
  • Riot in Cinema after release of “Blackboard Jungle” 1956
• Teenagers with an income could now spend it on: makeup, records, clothing etc

Question 11

Immigration in this Period

Answer 11

• Windrush Generation fill in space of workers lost to WW2
• Creation of “Ghettos” where POC resided
• Racial violence, turned working class people against one another
• Caused issues later on as many were not granted the citizenship they were promised and were threatened with deportation

Question 12

Trade Relations in this Period

Answer 12

• Generally good!
• Reformed workers rights
• Good working conditions
• Macmillan improved living conditions
• Wage rises with inflation
• Low unemployment
• Fragile in some areas: Frank Cousins

Question 13

Reasons for Conservative Domination

Answer 13

• Age of Affluence after WW2
• Labour Divisions
• Expansion of Attlee policy: Expansion of welfare state
• Improved living standards
• End of rationing 1954