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As History - Britain > The Political Scene 1951-64 > Flashcards

The Political Scene 1951-64 Flashcards

1
Q

What were the 5 threats to the establishment?

A 
Drugs 
Younger generation 
Media 
Violence 
Sexual freedoms
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2
Q

Who won the first post war election in 1945?

A

Labour

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3
Q

Name 8 successes labour had whilst they were in power

A

From 1948 $1250 million Marshall aid
Joined NATO
By 1950 exports 75% higher than before war
By 1948 rationing removed from MOST items
Welfare state - NHS + national insurance 1946
1951 -70 society remained same as set by Atlees govt
India gain independence
Started nuclear programme

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4
Q

What is AJP Taylor’s opinion on labours success?

A

Great Britain had to seek an American loan and then Marshall aid
British people experienced years of deprivation with some rationing continuing until 1953

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5
Q

What is Ronald Quinaults opinion on labours success?

A

The massive labour majority at the 1945 general election was largely removed at the 1950 election

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6
Q

What are TVs like in 1951?

A

Incredibly rare
Tiny screens and flickering images
Important as make information mainstream

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7
Q

Give some examples of society in 1951

A 
Private cars minority
No motorways 
No supermarkets 
Rationing
Steam railways the mode of transport 
Pollution from heavy industry
Marriage was an end to work for women 
Sunday's everywhere closed
Holidays two weeks at seaside resort
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8
Q

When was the festival of Britain?

A

1951

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9
Q

What was the landscape like in 1950s?

A

Vacant bomb sites
Unprepared houses
Prefabs
Gardens are allotments

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10
Q

What were young men called up for in the 1950s?

A

Two years national service

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11
Q

When was the Korean War and how many soldiers were killed?

A

1950-53

750

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12
Q

How much of the GDP is spent on defence in 1950?

A

6.6%

More than any major country exept USSR

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13
Q

What is Britain in 1952?

A

Worlds third nuclear power

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14
Q

What was still rationed in 1950s?

A

Butter
Meat
Tea
Coal

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15
Q

What did the nationalisation of the railways in 1947 do?

A

End international competition

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16
Q

How many people did the London smog of 1952 kill?

A

4000

Lasted five days

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17
Q

How much world trade was the UK in 1950?

A

1/4

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18
Q

What is the most prosperous city in Europe in 1950 per capita?

A

Leicester - centre of hosiery trade

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19
Q

What employed over 2 million people in the 50s?

A

State owned industries

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20
Q

What is the statistic for car ownership in the 50s?

A

Only one car per sixteen people

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21
Q

What was the immigration like in the 50s?

A

3% of pop born over seas

Fewer than 140 000 blacks and Asians

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22
Q

What does opinion poll evidence suggest?

A

In 1950 Britons were generally happier

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23
Q

How many cinemas were there in 1950?

A

5000

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24
Q

What were people scared of in the 1951 general election?

A

Labour was stopping the country improving quickly because of the bureaucratic socialism

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25
Why did people want equality and state control in the 50s?
Ww1 The depression Ww2
26
What does the renationalisation of the industries mean?
People have jobs
27
What are the two main reasons the conservatives were able to take power in the 1951 election?
Agreed with labours ideas because of wartime collectivism | Learnt the people wanted socialism so changed their policies to suit this
28
What is the only thing the conservatives changed to government when they took power in 1951?
Denationalised the steel industry and road transport
29
By how much did the conservatives win the 1951 election?
Not very much - not a strong enough position to change Atlees legacy
30
What was the role of prime minister like in the 1950s?
More of a part time job
31
What was Churchill like as pm between 1951-55?
An absentee pm Stroke in 1953 caused inspired speech - rarely seen on national stage Devoted his time to other things Still had power and influence Dr mo mowlam wrote essay about Churchill being 8th greatest Britain and wrote nothing about his leadership 1951-55
32
What is the post war consensus?
Conservatives and labour agree on their policies/have the same policies
33
How many seats did the conservatives win the general election by?
26
34
What is the establishment?
The old government with old Victorian views and prejudices
35
What did labour achieve when they were in power?
NHS Nationalisation of the industries Changing the empire into a commonwealth Social/national insurance (still have today)
36
What was londons East end like in 1951?
Terraced houses and rubbish in the streets Poverty Pollution State of the country poor and lacking in technological improvements Wastelands (areas yet to be rebuilt) Still slum housing and bombed areas
37
What were the people's fears about the Labour Party?
Bureaucratic socialism slows down and prevents development
38
How many people own a car in 1951?
One in sixteen
39
What is the spending on defence in 1951?
6.6% GDP | Second biggest spending only to USSR
40
What was the division in the Labour Party in the fifties?
``` Split between left and right Left- Bevan -opposition to unilateral nuclear disarmament 1957 Right - Gaitskell Attempted reform Disliked by trade unionists ```
41
What did the links labour have with the cnd mean?
``` Turned some voters away Frank cousins (tgwu) lead fierce opposition to Gaitskell over nukes ```
42
What happened to labour in the 1959 general election?
The list the conservatives stretched their majority to 100 seats Labour divisions became deeper
43
Where were the battles over which direction labour should take happen?
1959 Blackpool and 1960 Scarborough conferences
44
What happened at the Blackpool conferences 1959?
Gaitskell put forward idea of scrapping clause 1v (nationalisation of industries) - had to back down without putting it to a vote
45
What are the reasons why the conservatives were able to get into power in the 1951 election?
Labours ideas were identical to conservatives (post war consensus) Policies introduced weren't entirely successful eg NHS pushed dentistry charges up Spending
46
What did the conservatives de nationalise in 1951?
Steel industry | Road transport
47
What are the reasons conservatives continued labour policies?
Post war consensus | The public liked their policies and the conservative majority was slender - not enough power to make drastic changes
48
What were the key developments 1951-55? (Name 6)
``` Rationing ended Steel industry denationalised Macmillan promised to build 300 000 houses a year First atomic bomb 1952 Korean War (expensive) 1950-53 Marshall plan helped economy ```
49
How many houses did Macmillan promise to build each year to overcome the housing crisis?
300 000
50
How much did men's weekly wages increase by?
1951 - £8.30 | 1961 - £15.35
51
What new towns were expanding in the age of affluence?
Crawley Corby Cwmbran
52
What economic indicators were pointing up from 1952 onwards?
Increases in private savings Boom in car ownership Home ownership on the up (cheap mortgages) Explosion of consumer goods
53
When was itv launched?
1955
54
What did the conservatives do to boost their public standing?
"Give away" budget Middle classes - £134 million in budget cuts Income tax reduced by sixpence Purchase tax cut
55
How much did the British economy grow by?
2.8% per year 1/3rd higher than inter war period Double the pre 1914 rate
56
What was France's growth rate?
4%
57
What was Germany's growth rate 1950-73?
4.9%
58
What was the economy like in the 50s?
Stop go cycle
59
Who wins the labour leadership campaign in 1955?
Gaitskell
60
Who was pm after Macmillan?
Lord Home
61
What was penguin prosecuted for in August 1960?
Publishing lady chatterleys lover
62
What TV program mocked the government?
That was the week that was
63
Who is John Profumo?
High up Tory | Highly educated
64
What was the Profumo affair?
Profumo had an affair with Christine keeler who was also sleeping with Eugene Ivanov the naval attaché at the soviet embassy
65
What was the scandal in the Profumo affair?
``` Lied to the House of Commons over relationship - Macmillan believed him Captured worldwide attention Sex is not talked about Cold War ```
66
What was the FBIs report on the Profumo affair called?
Operation Bowtie
67
What was wilsons commons majority?
4
68
When was the suez crisis?
1956
69
What is sniely?
``` Scandal Night of the long knives Illness of Macmillan Europe Labour as party of modernisation Youthful image of wilson ```
70
What was the vassal spy affair?
John vassal a homosexual photographed in Moscow by kgb at gay sex party Was seen as a Russian spy
71
Why was the vassal spy affair so scandalous?
Illegal to be gay Speculation about a wider homosexual and traitorous network Cold War
72
What did the scandals do?
Discredited the government
73
What was the night of the long knives?
Macmillan reorganised his cabinet | But it only made his own position more precarious
74
What was wrong with Macmillan?
Seriously ill following a major operation in 1963
75
What was the problems with europe?
Arguing over relations wit Europe | Humiliation over being vetoed out of the eec
76
How many seats did labour get in the 1964 election?
317
77
How many seats did the conservatives get in the 1964 election?
304
78
When was the iron and steel industries nationalised?
1949
79
What were some failures of atlees government?
Seen as party of tax and rationing Lost economic control - 1947 U.S. Loan ran out Bad working conditions in nationalised industries NHS costs so middle class afford more than the working class
80
What and when was the bevanite rebellion?
1951 - angry over dental and prescription charges Bevan led a number of ministers into resigning from the cabinet
81
How much did wages increase by whilst conservatives were in power?
72%

As History - Britain (5 decks)

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