the affluent society 1951-64

Question 1

L1 - What is first past the post?

Answer 1

Whichever candidate has the most votes in each constituency is the winner. The country is divided into constituencies containing the electorate. Each constituency represents 1 seat, there is 650. The winning politician in that constituency becomes an MP. This system means many of the seats are foregone conclusions because in some places, the electorate always votes in the same way. If no party reaches the 326 seats, there is a coalition government.

Question 2

Redrawing constituencies

Answer 2

This can affect the outcome of an election. When it favours 1 party, it’s called gerrymandering. It can help one party win a general election. For example, if you divided a conservative area into 2, they would get 2 seats now. When the constituencies change, the number of seats needed to win has changed.

Question 3

Problems with first past the post

Answer 3

Lots of votes are wasted as the party with the most in that area win the seat, other votes count towards nothing. Most people vote labour or conservative - 2 party system. Gerrymandering changes results.

Question 4

L2 - What is liberal party?

Answer 4

Believe in government action to achieve equal opportunity for all. Duty of government to protect human rights, protect civil liberties. Role of the government is to guarantee no one is in need.

Question 5

What is Conservative Party?

Answer 5

Personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional British values, strong national defence. Governments role is to provide people with the freedom to pursue their own goals.

Question 6

What is Labour Party?

Answer 6

Mixed economy that involves acceptance of public enterprise (nationalism) and socially responsible private enterprise. Need for a morally conscious economy based on principles of service, cooperation and social justice, opposing possessive individualism. Represents working class. Progressive taxation to fund social welfare, support trade unions.

Question 7

1945 general election results

Answer 7

Labour won with a majority of 146 seats, needed 321 to win and got 393.

Question 8

Why did Churchill lose the 1945 election?

Answer 8

People wanted to move on from war and he was a war time leader. Labour promised more- NHS, housing etc. people wanted real social change. Conservatives were associated with appeasement. Labour wants to defeat 5 giants. Churchill had tried scaremongering to convince voters.

Question 9

What was Attlee’s Welfare state?

Answer 9

Implementation of the Beveridge Report which states that it was the governments responsibility to protect people from the cradle to the grave by tackling the 5 giants - want, ignorance, disease, squalor, idleness.

Question 10

1944 education act

Answer 10

Free secondary education to all pupils. The school leaving age was raised from 14 to 15. Introduced Tripartite System - all children took an 11+ exam to decide which school they went to. Grammar school, technical school, secondary modern school.

Question 11

1948 national health service act

Answer 11

Before this, healthcare was not free. The NHS act brought the whole population into a scheme of free medical and hospital treatment. The whole system was operated at a local level by health boards.

Question 12

1948 national insurance act

Answer 12

National insurance became compulsory for all workers except married women. Workers received benefits if there were interruptions of earnings as a result of illness, unemployment or old age. Elderly got a state pension for women at 60 and men at 65. Mothers got a lump sum when a child was born and if they had been paying NI, they got an allowance for 18 weeks.

Question 13

1948 industrial injuries act

Answer 13

Gave compensation to the workers or their families if they were injured or killed at work, and ensured the family did not fall into poverty.

Question 14

1948 national assistance act

Answer 14

Set up for those who couldn’t afford to pay into national insurance. Claimants were interviewed to see what help they needed.

Question 15

1946 new towns act and 1949 housing act

Answer 15

Bevan was responsible for this. An average of 200.000 houses built a year under Labour and 1 million built by 1951. Families had 900 square feet. Pre-fab houses that were quick to build were made to meet demand. But due to rising birth rates after the war, there was still a shortage by 1951.

Question 16

Nationalisation under Labour

Answer 16

Labour nationalised industries in Britain to create and maintain job levels in industries like steel, iron, gas etc. This kept unemployment rates very low and unprofitable industries were provided with government money to keep them in business.

Question 17

What were some problems with the welfare state?

Answer 17

Tripartite system pigeonholed students into areas of skill which would affect the jobs they can get and their income. The NHS exceeded its budget by 40% in the first 2 years and greater public expectation led to NHS losing money. Housing in the 1951 census revealed there was still the same level of homelessness as 1931. High demand for housing and by 1951, there were 750000 fewer houses than required. Nationalisation depended on government funding. Overall the welfare state depended on government funding and they couldn’t afford this.

Question 18

L3 - Why was the economy a problem for Attlee?

Answer 18

World’s largest debtor nation after WW2, balance of payments deficit, spending more than making.

Question 19

What is Keynesian economics?

Answer 19

Developed by John Maynard Keynes. Believed the government should spend their way out of difficulty in the economy. Socialist economic (extending role of the government in the economy) theory.

Question 20

Keynesian economics process

Answer 20

The government should borrow money and invest it into businesses. This artificial boost would lead to genuine growth. Companies would have demand for their goods and workers would have jobs. Those earnings from workers would be spent on goods and services = supply and demand. The government should be willing to run a budget deficit in short term. The debts would be repaid by taxing companies and workers whose profits would be rising in the economy.

Question 21

How did Britain get the money for Keynesian economics?

Answer 21

Keynes approached USA and they agreed to loan $6000 million. They demanded it to be repaid in dollars so Britain would have to convert this money. USA agreed to keep the exchange rate fixed until 1947.

Question 22

What economic problem happened in 1947?

Answer 22

Inflation in Britain. They had to devalue the pound in 1949. £1 had been worth $4 but now was only worth $2. Causes a dollar gap. So to avoid spending too much, Britain uses its dollar reserves. All countries have these because imports and exports are in dollars. The government decided to pays for imports using reserves and to pay for the loan using reserves.

Question 23

What happened due to the economic difficulties?

Answer 23

In 1949, prescriptions were no longer free. In 1951, dental and optician needs were not free. Bevan and many supporters resigned from office.

Question 24

What was britains relationship with USA?

Answer 24

Britain received largest amount of Marshall aid. NATO was a military alliance = protection and strong relations. Britain was a founding member. Korean War meant USA and Britain were united against communism and the Cold War overall united them.

Question 25

Problem in British India

Answer 25

15th August 1947 - made independent. Partition meant that millions of people found themselves on the wrong side of the borders, India and Pakistan were divided wrong. 10 million became refugees. Muslims went to Pakistan, Sikhs went to India. Up to 1 million were killed in massacres at the borders.

Question 26

1948 British nationality act

Answer 26

Free entrance to Britain to all members of the empire and commonwealth. More workers. Empire Windrush carried 802 West Indians. Worked in NHS and transport. 1949 attack on 65 Jamaicans was an early example of race relations crisis

Question 27

European coal and steel community

Answer 27

Intended to bring harmony in non communist countries in Europe after WW2. Free trade of coal and steel between 6 countries. Members pledged not to represent their national interest but rather the general interests of the community as a whole. Attlee refused to join