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A level British History > The Affluent Society Politics > Flashcards

The Affluent Society Politics Flashcards

1
Q

What is a post war consensus?

A

A historical view/interpretation which states that there was a political agreement on the social and economic policies that would best suit the UK

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2
Q

Who were the two main parties in the 1950s in the UK?

A

Conservative and Labour

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3
Q

Who ended the post war consensus?

A

Thatcher

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4
Q

Was Thatcher right or left wing?

A

right wing

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5
Q

When did the post war consensus end?

A

1970s

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6
Q

When was Attlee Prime Minister?

A

1945-1951

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7
Q

How did Attlee influence the conservatives that followed him after 1951?

A

He brought in much of the ideas that came to encompass the post war consensus

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8
Q

Who inspired Attlee’s ideas regarding the post war consensus?

A

William Beveridge (with regard to a welfare state) and John Maynard Keynes (with regard to a more active role of the government in the economy)

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9
Q

What does a big government mean?

A

A government that is more heavily involved in public policy and the private sector

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10
Q

In 1951, how strong were Britain’s Royal Navy and Royal Air Force?

A

The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force were second in size and power only to the forces of the United States

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11
Q

When was Britain the world’s third nuclear power?

A

In 1952, Britain became the world’s third nuclear power when it detonated an atomic bomb off the coast of Australia

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12
Q

Around 1951, what was Britain producing for trade?

A

Britain was the foremost world producer of ships and the leading European producer of coal, steel, cars and textiles

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13
Q

How many soldiers were killed during the Korean War?

A

750 soldiers were killed and many more injured or captured during the Korean war of 1950-53

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14
Q

What was Britain’s tax rate like post war?

A

Double the rate now

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15
Q

Why is urbanisation and industrialisation bad for people’s health?

A

Pollution is harmful

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16
Q

When and what was the London smog?

A

The London smog of 1952 lasted five days and killed more than 4,000 people from heart and
lung diseases

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17
Q

What were the 5 points in the Beveridge report?

A
  • Want
  • Disease
  • Ignorance
  • Squalor
  • Idleness
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18
Q

Name four policies that came from the post war consensus

A

1944 - Education act
1945 - Family allowance act
1946 - National insurance act
1946 - National health service act

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19
Q

Who won the 1951 election?

A
  • Churchill
  • Even though Labour had more votes, the conservatives had more seats
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20
Q

Why did Attlee call the 1951 election?

A

He wanted more seats in parliament to help pass legislation

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21
Q

What did the Beveridge Report lead to?

A

Establishing of NHS and welfare state

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22
Q

What was the overall result of the 1951 election?

A

Labour won more votes but conservative won more seats

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23
Q

Who was reelected in 1951?

A

Winston Churchill

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24
Q

Ironically, who called the election?

A

Attlee

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25
Q

Why did Attlee call the election?

A

he thought he would have a larger majority in parliament to pass laws

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26
Q

What were 5 goals of the 1955 Conservative Party General Election Manifesto?

A
  • Prevent a third world war
  • Make a hydrogen bomb
  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Become a property-owning democracy
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27
Q

Explain the Tripartite System

A

Created in 1944, based of the advice of the psychologist Burt, the education system was split into grammar school, technical high school, secondary modern school with an 11+ exam to decide which one a kid would go to

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28
Q

Who tried to promote a greater emphasis on technical education?

A

Eden during his brief time as PM

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29
Q

Name four social reforms of Macmillan

A
  • Clean air act 1956 - prevent the smog of 50s
  • Housing and Factory acts - improving living and working conditions
  • Homicide Act 1957 - restricted when death penalty imposed
  • 1957 Wolfenden commision - recommended homosexual behaviour should no long be a criminal act
30
Q

Who is the Chancellor exchequer?

A

In charge of finances

31
Q

Home secretary

A

In charge of national security

32
Q

Who was Bevan?

A
  • Minister of health in Atlee’s government
  • Architect of NHS
  • Left wing
  • Resigned over prescription charges in 1951 - popular with MPs and many TU’s
33
Q

who was Gaitskell

A
  • Chancellor exchequer from 50-51
  • Introduced prescription charges
  • More right wing Labour minister
  • Labour leader 1955 (defeated Bevan)
  • Attempted reform
34
Q

List the PMs from 1940-64

A

Churchill (1940-45)
Attlee (1945-51)
Churchill (1951-55)
Eden (1955-57)
Macmillan (1957-63)
Douglas-home (1963-64)

35
Q

Who is against nuclear weapons yet surprisingly also opposed the unilateral nuclear disarmament?

A

Bevan

36
Q

What is Clause IV?

A

It is a 1918 text of the Labour parties written constitution which set out the aims and values of the party

37
Q

How was Clause IV seen as by Labour supporters?

A

This clause was seen by supporters as a straightforward commitment to nationalisation or the “common ownership” and it was considered a commitment to socialism

38
Q

Who are against private ownership?

A

the Left

39
Q

Who wanted to to change Clause IV in 1959 and why?

A

Gaitskell, the leader in 1959, wanted to change Clause IV as he believed that Labour didn’t have support as people didn’t want nationalisation

40
Q

Why couldn’t Gaitskell change Clause IV?

A

The left wouldn’t let him

41
Q

What Gaitskell left or right leaning within the labour party?

A

right leaning

42
Q

What Bevan left or right leaning within the labour party?

A

Left

43
Q

What did Bevanites want?

A
  • to keep labour focused on its socialist ideals
  • opposed rearmament
44
Q

Who backed right wing groups within the Labour party?

A

Right wing groups were mainly backed by trade unions

45
Q

Who did Right wing groups within the Labour party support?

A

They supported alliances like NATO and SEATO to keep Britain strong in the cold war

46
Q

What did Bevanites and Right wing groups within the Labour party think of eachother?

A
  • Right wing groups saw Bevanites as too extreme
  • Bevanites thought the moderates were betraying the Labour party’s socialist values
47
Q

What is austerity?

A

Austerity is a set of economic policies that governments use to reduce public debt and stimulate economic growth

48
Q

What was Macmillan’s nickname?

A

Supermac (showed he had support)

49
Q

What did Macmillan say that highlights the lack of control he had?

A

“Events dear boys, events”

50
Q

How was Britain’s economy at the end of Macmillan’s rule (1963ish)?

A

Britain’s economy was in trouble

51
Q

What was a huge blow to pride and faith in Macmillan?

A

Attempted to join the EEC (European Economic Community) in 1961 but was rejected

52
Q

How did the Conservative seem at the end of Macmillan’s rule?

A

The traditionally upper class Conservatives start to seem out of touch

53
Q

When was the Cabinet reshuffle nicknamed the “Night of long knives”

A

Cabinet reshuffle in 1962

54
Q

What did the Cabinet reshuffle (“Night of Long Knives”) entail?

A

⅓ of the cabinet members were sacked

55
Q

What was the aim of the 1962 cabinet reshuffle?

A

rejuvenation

56
Q

What was the result of the 1962 cabinet reshuffle?

A

Weakened the party as is an indication to the public that stuff is going wrong and means there are unhappy members in the conservative party

57
Q

When do cabinet reshuffles typically occur?

A

Cabinet reshuffles occur when support in a party is lacking

58
Q

Who was the conservative politician soviet double agent in 1961?

A

George Blake

59
Q

Who was discovered to have been blackmailed to pass info to the Soviet Union in 1963?

A

John Vassal

60
Q

Describe the Profumo affair (1963)

A

Secretary of state for war, John Profumo (affair with Christine Keeler who was also having an affair with a Russian spy)

61
Q

Impact of Profumo Affair?

A

Political impact was short term but it added to the growing disillusionment with the conservative government

62
Q

Why did Macmillan resign?

A

ill health

63
Q

Who were the 2 major contenders following Macmillan?

A

Butler and Hailsham

64
Q

Why was Douglas Home chosen over both Butler and Hailsham?

A
  • Butler and Hailsham were creating divide within the conservative party as neither candidate had widespread or unequivocal support
  • They compromised on Douglas Home as he was seen as a more neutral choice
65
Q

What did Douglas Home give up to be PM?

A

His title as Lord so he could sit in the HoC

66
Q

What did Douglas Home introduce when made PM?

A

Introduced formal elections for future conservative leaders (hadn’t been the case prior to 1965 and was decided through informal discussions!)

67
Q

What was Thatcher’s opinion of Douglas Home?

A

He was a good man according to Thatcher: “You always felt that he treated you not as a category but as a person” - Margaret Thatcher

68
Q

Why wasn’t DH suited to PM?

A

He was seen as old fashioned and people wanted progressive

69
Q

Why was Wilson pleased he was facing DH in the 1964 election?

A

“Instead of the formidable Macmillan, with his deep knowledge of politics and administration, I was getting an opponent with very little experience of Parliament and much ignorance of economics.” - Wilson

70
Q

Why didn’t Macmillan run in 1964 as he was more qualified than DH?

A

There was too much that he had messed up with the spy scandals so they went with Home

A level British History (3 decks)

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