The General Strike 1926 Flashcards
Define General Strike.
A strike by workers in all or most of the industries in a country.
Who was Prime Minister during the General Strike?
Stanley Baldwin.
Who was the Chancellor of the Exchequer during the General Strike?
Winston Churchill.
Who was Secretary of the Miners’ Federation of Britain, and part of the TUC during the General Strike?
A.J Cook.
What does TUC stand for?
Trades Union Congress.
What did Churchill do that increased the value of British goods overseas?
Returned Britain to the Gold Standard - This returned British currency to the pre-war value of sterling.
Why did the Dawes Plan dissuade other countries (specifically France and Italy) from buying British coal?
Because it made it so that Germany had to give away its coal for free to France and Italy.
Outline what happened during Red Friday (31st July 1925).
Due to the deflation of the British economy because of the Gold Standard, the British Government promised to grant the miners, whose wages had been cut, a subsidy that would last for nine months.
What was the OMS?
The Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies. This scheme was set up by the Government in preparation for the strike, allowing volunteers to replace the striking workers’ roles in key industries.
What did the Government use the BBC and The British Gazette for?
Propaganda and to undermine support of the strike.
Which act allowed Stanley Baldwin to set up the OMS?
The Emergency Powers Act.
What was the consequence of the TUC calling print workers to go on strike?
Newspapers that were against the TUC were forced to stop production. However, newspapers that supported the TUC were also forced to stop production, meaning less support for them.
How many days did the General Strike last for before the TUC called back the workers?
10 Days.
