The Political Scene 1951-64 Flashcards
What were the 5 threats to the establishment?
Drugs Younger generation Media Violence Sexual freedoms
Who won the first post war election in 1945?
Labour
Name 8 successes labour had whilst they were in power
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
What is AJP Taylor’s opinion on labours success?
Great Britain had to seek an American loan and then Marshall aid
British people experienced years of deprivation with some rationing continuing until 1953
What is Ronald Quinaults opinion on labours success?
The massive labour majority at the 1945 general election was largely removed at the 1950 election
What are TVs like in 1951?
Incredibly rare
Tiny screens and flickering images
Important as make information mainstream
Give some examples of society in 1951
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
When was the festival of Britain?
1951
What was the landscape like in 1950s?
Vacant bomb sites
Unprepared houses
Prefabs
Gardens are allotments
What were young men called up for in the 1950s?
Two years national service
When was the Korean War and how many soldiers were killed?
1950-53
750
How much of the GDP is spent on defence in 1950?
6.6%
More than any major country exept USSR
What is Britain in 1952?
Worlds third nuclear power
What was still rationed in 1950s?
Butter
Meat
Tea
Coal
What did the nationalisation of the railways in 1947 do?
End international competition
How many people did the London smog of 1952 kill?
4000
Lasted five days
How much world trade was the UK in 1950?
1/4
What is the most prosperous city in Europe in 1950 per capita?
Leicester - centre of hosiery trade
What employed over 2 million people in the 50s?
State owned industries
What is the statistic for car ownership in the 50s?
Only one car per sixteen people
What was the immigration like in the 50s?
3% of pop born over seas
Fewer than 140 000 blacks and Asians
What does opinion poll evidence suggest?
In 1950 Britons were generally happier
How many cinemas were there in 1950?
5000
What were people scared of in the 1951 general election?
Labour was stopping the country improving quickly because of the bureaucratic socialism
Why did people want equality and state control in the 50s?
Ww1
The depression
Ww2
What does the renationalisation of the industries mean?
People have jobs
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
What is the only thing the conservatives changed to government when they took power in 1951?
Denationalised the steel industry and road transport
By how much did the conservatives win the 1951 election?
Not very much - not a strong enough position to change Atlees legacy
What was the role of prime minister like in the 1950s?
More of a part time job
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
What is the post war consensus?
Conservatives and labour agree on their policies/have the same policies