The Affluent Society (1951-64)

Question 1

Who won the General election of 1951?

Answer 1

Conservative Party

Question 2

What voting system was used in British elections + how does it work?

Answer 2

First Past the Post (FPTP) - candidate with most votes in each constituency wins a seat in Parliament

Question 3

Names of the 4 Conservative PMs between 1951-64 + what years did they hold office?

Answer 3

Winston Churchill 1951-55
Sir Anthony Eden 1955-57
Harold MacMillan 1957-63
Sir Alec Douglas Home 1963-64

Question 4

Churchill’s Weaknesses

Answer 4

Old + suffered stroke in ‘53
Acted as more of a figure-head + let cabinet ministers such as Rab Butler do the work.

Question 5

Who covered Churchill’s absences?

Answer 5

Eden acted as PM, Rab Butler was the Chancellor of the Exchequer + Harold MacMillan as Minister of Housing

Question 6

What were the results of the 1955 election?

Answer 6

A Conservative victory, their majority increased from 17 seats to 60.

Question 7

Eden’s strengths + weaknesses as a politician

Answer 7

Experienced in foreign affairs but less so in domestic + economic matters.

Question 8

Which international crisis is Eden most associated with?

Answer 8

Suez Crisis 1956 - General Abdul Nasser nationalised Suez Canal so Britain, France + Israel invaded Egypt.
This resulted in Eden’s resignation as PM + affected their foreign relations with US.

Question 9

Who emerged as leader after Eden + why?

Answer 9

MacMillan because Butler was not as popular within the party + ruined his reputation with the introduction of tact cuts before 1955 election.

Question 10

What role did Butler take in Macmillan’s government?

Answer 10

Home Secretary

Question 11

What was Macmillan’s nickname + why?

Answer 11

‘Super Mac’ - He was a skilful manipulator of the media + apprehend unflappable under pressure.

Question 12

What were the results of the 1959 election?

Answer 12

Conservative victory, they increased their majority up to 100 seats.

Question 13

What was the Post-War consensus?

Answer 13

An understanding that after WW2, there was a great deal of agreement over major issues between main political parties such as the economy, support for NHS, Welfare State, maintaining employment + working with Trade Unions

Question 14

What is the Post-War Consensus also known as + why?

Answer 14

Butskellism, after Conservative politician Rab Butler + Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell.

Question 15

What was the Conservative housing policy?

Answer 15

In 1951, Churchill promised to build 300,000 new homes every year to replace homes destroyed after WW2.

Question 16

What were the education policies?

Answer 16

They moved to a tripartite system in education.
3 Kinds of schools: grammar, secondary modern + technical.
Children took the 11+ to determine which type of school they would attend.

Question 17

What were the problems with the new school system?

Answer 17

1. Churchill failed to give sufficient funding to technical school due to budget restrictions.
2. The fairness of the system was questioned.

Question 18

Describe the Conservatives Social Reforms

Answer 18

1. Clean Air Act 1956 - aimed to prevent the smog of the early 1950s.
2. Housing + Factory Acts 1959 - aimed to improve living + working conditions.
3. Homicide Act 1957 - restricted when the death penalty could be imposed.
4. Wolfenden Commission 1957 - recommended that homosexual acts should no longer be considered criminal but this was not made law at this time.

Question 19

What was notable about Labour’s election defeat in 1951?

Answer 19

They received 14 million votes, more votes than they had received in any other election + yet they still did not win.

Question 20

Which two politicians led opposing sides in the part split?

Answer 20

Hugh Gaitskell led the right wing faction.
NYE Bevan led the left wing faction.

Question 21

What was the split originally about?

Answer 21

Gaitskell had introduced prescription charges when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer. Bevan resigned from government in protest. He gained the support of many Labour MPs + trade unionists.

Question 22

What were the results of Labour leadership election in 1955?

Answer 22

Gaitskell defeated Bevan.

Question 23

What increased the tension between the two factions?

Answer 23

1. Growing tensions between party leadership + trade unions.
2. Left faction wanted unilateral nuclear disarmament which Gaitskell opposed.
3. Frank Cousins became leader of the Transport + General Workers Union + led a fierce campaign against Gaitskell particularly over nuclear weapons.
4. Gaitskell put forward the idea of abolishing Clause IV but abandoned plan when he realised the opposition from the left wing + union leaders would be fierce.

Question 24

What was Clause IV?

Answer 24

A clause of the Labour Party constitution which committed the party to nationalisation.

Question 25

What is nationalisation?

Answer 25

State ownership of key industries which was a key principle of the Labour Party from the beginning.

Question 26

Why did Labour’s political position improve after 1960?

Answer 26

1. Party appeared more united.
2. Change in culture made the public more critical of the Conservative government.
3. Gaitskell died in 1963 + was replaced by Harold Wilson.

Question 27

What did Britain try + join in 1961 + what was the outcome?

Answer 27

They tried to join the EEC + their application was rejected.

Question 28

What name was given to Macmillan’s cabinet reshuffle of July 1962 + what were the results?

Answer 28

It was called the ‘Night of the Long Knives’ where he sacked a third of his cabinet overnight. It was intended to rejuvenate the party but instead it weakened them.

Question 29

What were the main reasons for the Conservative fall from power?

Answer 29

1. MacMillan was beginning to appear out of touch.
2. Spy Scandal of the early 1960s affected the public’s confidence in the government.
3. Profumo Affair of 1963 forced Defence of State of War John Profumo to resign.

Question 30

What was the Profumo Affair of 1963?

Answer 30

John Profumo had an affair with Christine Keeler who was also sleeping with a Soviet spy Ivanov. When questioned in Parliament, Profumo denied the allegations but was forced to admit his deceit + resign in disgrace.

Question 31

Why did MacMillan resign in October 1963?

Answer 31

Ill health + a major abdominal operation kept him in hospital for weeks.

Question 32

Why was there a succession crisis after Macmillan’s resignation?

Answer 32

MacMillan had not prepared a successor. The Conservative Party faced a power struggle between Rab Butler + Lord Hailsham.

Question 33

Who became Prime Minister in 1963 + why?

Answer 33

After a poor performance but Butler + Hailsham at the Conservative conference, Sir Alec Douglas-Home emerged as a compromise candidate after giving up his peerage in the House of Lords.