Revision Topic Sheet 3: 1957-1963 Flashcards
Butterfly doors, space coupe lookin like a UFO
Who became Prime Minister in 1957?
Former Conservative Housing Minister Harold Macmillan
Macmillan accepted Keynesianism - true or false?
True - he wanted more state control over services
Why did Macmillan succeed in 1957 and not RA Butler?
- Macmillan had a great reputation in government for being a good housing minister
- Butler did not excel when acting for Winston Churchill in government
- Butler was seen as a detached figure while Macmillan knew how to win support
- Macmillan told the public that he could turn the Suez disaster into a strategic victory despite an extremely large debt of £564 million
What happened as a result of Macmillan’s foreign policy?
- Decolonisation sped up, accelerated after the 1960 Winds of Change speech
- Continued close relationship with the USA, shown through Britain’s support of the USA during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis
- Attempt to enter the EEC, ultimately successful as they were vetoed by French PM Charles de Gaulle for not relinquishing the relationship with the USA
What 3 acts came about during Macmillan’s reign and what did they entail?
- Homicide Act of 1957 - ended the death penalty for all but certain types of murder
- Clean Air Act of 1956 - reduced smog output created during the 1950s
- Housing and Factory Acts - aimed to improve living and working conditions
In 1957 the Wolfenden Commission recommended that abortion should no longer be a criminal act - true or false?
False, it was homosexuality that was recommended to not be a criminal act
What did Macmillan do in regards to education?
- Started to implement a comprehensive school system rather than grammar and secondary modern schools
- 11+ system debated over whether to be abolished or not by Macmillan’s minister of education Edward Boyle
- Robbins Report recommended the expansion of existing universities and larger grants to be given to students to reduce debt
What was the Age of Affluence?
When wages rose along with Consumerism, which meant that social classes were growing closer as a result of more people becoming middle class - people could also afford to buy more goods due to having higher wages
Why did Macmillan continue policies of a mixed economy and Keynesianism?
Avoid the extremes of inflation, deflation and a balance of payments crisis in order to keep the economy from ‘overheating’ - interest rates rose and a fall in demand for goods led to a give-away budget to stabilise the economy inspired by Keynesian policies
What was Stop Go Economics?
When demand controls imports, exports and government controls:
1. falling demand leads to decreased output which leads to lesser government controls
2. rising demand leads to increased imports which creates a balance of payments crisis as imports exceed exports that then leads to government controls, frozen wages and high interest rates
This then ties back in with falling demand as the cycle repeats
What was the 64,000 dollar question?
Macmillan’s problem with maintain growth and employment while keeping prices steady
What are the main reasons why the Conservatives won the 1959 election?
- Labour divisions (which grew worse)
- Macmillan seen as a strong and competent leader
- Age of Affluence under Macmillan’s government
- Conservatives marketed themselves with the slogan “they’ve never had it so good”
How did living standards improve?
- Macmillan had helped build over 1.7 million homes between 1951 and 1964 as housing minister
- Mortgages were easier to acquire
- Rent Act of 1957 which abolished rent control and put 6 million properties on the market
Under Macmillan, unemployment decreased from 800,000 to 367,000 between 1957 and 1963 - true or false?
False, the opposite is true - despite Macmillan’s best efforts he struggled to combat rising unemployment
Why did Britain decline economically?
- Heavy defence expenditure of about 10% of the country’s GDP rather than economic innovation
- No coherent economic policies - only employed stop-go tactics as a poor financial strategy
- Did not invest in modern technologies and did not deal with productivity and export problems
