Recovery Flashcards
What was post-war Britain like in 1945?
In huge debt, we couldn’t pay back USA loans because of heavy spending on rearmament. Many houses had been destroyed, leaving thousands of people homeless. Britain was no longer a world power - India had gained independence. There was also post war austerity between 1947 and 1957 where unemployment rose from 400,000 to 1.75 million. There was still rationing too.
Why did Labour win in 1945?
D) People didn’t want to go back to the depression years under the conservatists.
A) Conservatism was associated with appeasement.
P) Britain failed to take action quickly enough against Germany when they invaded Poland.
L) Labour was focused on changing attitudes of people whereas Churchill’s campaign was solely on his personality and war record. Churchill misread the mood of the people.
E) Evacuation - many who went abroad saw how much better life was and because of this wanted change at home.
R) People respected Russia and they were slightly similar to the Labour party.
What was the Beveridge Report?
Released in 1942 by William Beveridge. It pointed out the 5 giants in society, Want, disease, ignorance, squalor and idleness.
When did NHS start? What was the aim of the NHS?
- A free health service for all, led by Aneurin Bevan, who’s aim was to take care of its people “from the cradle to the grave.”
What was good about the NHS?
Visits to and from the doctor, medicine, spectacles and dental treatment was all paid for. In 1948 it became a law.
What were the problems of the NHS?
It was too expensive to run costing 355 million pounds a year. Also, some doctors valued their independence and big salaries. In 1951 charges had to be reintroduced for NHS false teeth and glassed. This angered Nye Bevan so much that he stormed out of government.
When was the education act passed as a law? And who started the idea?
The Education act was passed as a law in 1947 by the Labour government which was based on the foundation of the Butler Act in 1944.
What did education the act achieve?
The act made secondary education compulsory until the age of 15 and provided meals, milk and medical services at every school.
What was the Tripartite system?
Based on an 11+ exam that all children in the nation would sit, children would either be sent to 1) A grammar school, from which most students went to universities. 2) Secondary technical - where children with a particularly strong ability went. 3) Secondary modern - where those who failed their 11+ went.
What was the positive of the education act?
Whereas before, hardly anyone was going to school, now, many were.
What was the negative about the education act?
The 11+ defined your future, and it was unfair, as richer parents could pay for tutors to allow their children do well. It also brought back a system of class, which was unusual for the Labour party.
Who took charge of the housing issue in England?
Nye Bevan, and he followed a policy of “housing for all.”
What was the main problem in solving the housing issue?
2 million houses had been destroyed by German bombings in ww2.
What was one of the solutions for the housing issue ?
Nye Bevan decided to mass produce Pre-fabs and by 1948 nearly 130,000 had been assembled and distributed.
What went badly in the housing act?
Labour didn’t meet their promise that 5 million new houses would be built by 1951, as only 1.5 million had been made. A 1951 census revealed that there were 750,000 fewer houses than there were households in Britain.
