The National Government, 1931-1945 Flashcards
Why Was It Formed?- Economic Concerns
Ramsay McDonald took office post Wall Street crash- 1929-31 ‘economic blizzard’. Unemployment rose to 3 million.
‘May Committee’ set up to investigate solutions, 10% reduction in unemployment benefits+reduced pay of civil servants, teachers, armed forces. 10 of 21 cabinet members rejected it.
Why Was It Formed?- Great Betrayal
MacDonald announced his resignation, George V persuaded him not to- instability. Stayed as PM of coalition with Stanley Baldwin and Conservatives.
‘Country before party’- Labour voted to expel him from party.
Split- ‘National Labour Committee’, majority Lab MPs in opposition.
Why Was It Formed?- Elections/MPs
1931 election, Labour Party (non-coalition) lost 236 seats and over 1.7 million votes. Labour out of office for 15 years. National Government very popular, won over two-thirds of the popular vote.
Not a true coalition- only three Labour Cabinet Ministers stayed in post, dominated by Conservatives.
1931-June 1935, Ramsay MacDonald, National Government- Economic Challenges
Great Depression- exports fell by 50%, decline in coal and steel production, consumer spending fell, unemployment rose (1mil 1929 to 2.5mil in 1930), and economy shrank by 5%.
1931-June 1935, Ramsay MacDonald, National Government- Economic Challenges (Response)
Conservative-style economic policy, protectionist policies.
10% cut to unemployment benefits, ‘means test’ introduced, interest rates lowered to encourage spending/discourage saving
1931-June 1935, Ramsay MacDonald, National Government- Economic Challenges (Recovery)
Exports began to recover by 1935, rose by 28%, lead to 46% increase in industrial production, unemployment fell (17% to 8.5%), real incomes rose by 19%, overall GNP increased by 23%
1934 to 1937, economy grew by 4% each year
1931-June 1935, Ramsay MacDonald, National Government- Political Challenges
Between 1931-1935, Labour Party began to reorganise
Became official opposition to National Government, headed by Clement Attlee
1935 election, Labour won 154 seats, Labour vote rapidly recovering
1931-June 1935, Ramsay MacDonald, National Government- Election
Little effective opposition (Lib+Lab had too few seats to challenge), National Government maintained support in 1935 General Election
Last time in the century a government would win over 50% of votes.
June 1935-May 1937, Stanley Baldwin, National Government- Abdication Crisis
Constitutional crisis- Edward VIII wanted to marry Wallace Simpson, an American divorcee
Church of England didn’t recognise divorce, Edward was head. Baldwin said government would resign in protest.
Edward abdicated, Baldwin’s reputation improved, ‘calm’ + ‘moral’
June 1935-May 1937, Stanley Baldwin, National Government- Foreign Policy and Rearmament
1935, Baldwin under pressure to increase spending on rearmament.
Reluctant to commit, but raised defence spending to support League of Nations.
Viewed as one of the ‘guilty men’ by historians
June 1935-May 1937, Stanley Baldwin, National Government- Foreign Policy and Rearmament (Rhineland)
1936- occupation of Rhineland, Labour anti-war, opposed rearmament- said it made war more likely, suggested trade unions would strike if sanctions imposed.
Baldwin continued expensive rearmament, expanding RAF, Military, and Navy
Baldwin resigned in 1937 due to ill health.
May 1937-May 1940, Neville Chamberlain, National Government- Foreign Policy and Appeasment
Aggressive and expansionist Germany, desperate to avoid conflict, employed policy of appeasement, flew to Germany 3 times, believed he had achieved ‘peace in our time’
Criticised for a lack of action when WW2 started, especially by Churchill.
Vote of no confidence in 1940- ousted from power
May 1940-July 1945, Winston Churchill, National Government- Total War
Had criticised policy of appeasement from the start.
Small war cabinet of 5 men (Churchill, 2 Lab, 2 Cons)
Almost dictatorial style of government
‘Emergency Powers Act’ (1940), extended power of the state.
Refused negotiated peace, led to ‘War Cabinet Crisis’ (1940)
Defeating Extremism, 1929-1945- National Government
Meant to be temporary solution to economic depression.
Lasted for 14 years, occupied centre-ground of British politics
Moderate, stable government, built on co-operation, dissuaded extremism.
Defeating Extremism, 1929-1945- Right Wing Extremism
1934- British Union of Fascists, led by Oswald Mosley, had over 50,000 members
Racist, anti-Semitic, modelled on other European fascist parties (Nazi Party, Mussolini, Franco)
