The response to economic challenges 1951-1979 Flashcards
The post war consensus can be characterised in the beliefs in what?
- Keynesian economics.
- A mixed economy.
- Nationalisation of major industries.
- The National Health Service.
-Commitment to full employment. - A welfare state in Britain; social security and national insurance.
- Introduction of nuclear weapons.
Why did WW2 set the stage for consensus?
- Proved ministers from rival parties could work together & that a broad agreement on key policies could be reached.
- Success of collectivism- an approach where certain problems are tackled by taking away some rights for the common good.
The war changed the role of the government- what was the state forced to do?
Forced the government to take more control- Emergency Powers Act of 1940.
Why did WW2 set the stage for consensus?
A more mixed economy- where the government used
- rationing
- the Essential Work Order
- Conscription and censorship
- All in a bid to engage Britain in a total war- by 1945, 1/3 of citizens were taking in war-related work.
What was the Beveridge Report- 1942?
Report- envisioned a welfare state that could care for a person throughout their entire life.
Ideas- hugely popular- sold 635,000 copies.
Who promised to implement the Beveridge report?
- Labours promise to fulifil report- was a huge contributing factor in them winning the election.
- Popularity created a “sea change” in British politics & rival parties to Labour Party couldn’t ignore its popularity if they wanted to be the party of government.
Why did Labour win by a landslide in the 1945 General Election?
Leadership
Campaigns
Policies
Public mood
Why did Labour win by a landslide in the 1945 General Election?
(Leadership?)
- Attlee portrayed himself as a ‘man of the people’.
- During WW2- Attlee had managed the home front, showing that himself and the Labour party were capable leaders.
Why did Labour win by a landslide in the 1945 General Election?
(Campaigns?)
- Labour broke off wartime coalition after war to force an election, campaigned on the slogan ‘let us face the future’ & campaign posters centred around the British people- with pictures of women & soldiers accompanied by the text ‘Labour for him’ or ‘Labour for her’.
Why did the Conservatives campaign lack Labour’s campaign?
Churchills campaign = lacklustre, was so confident in his victory after winning the war- Conservative slogan ‘lets finish the job’, Churchills spiteful ‘Gestapo’ speech- seen as distasteful & poorly judged.
Why did Labour win by a landslide in the 1945 General Election?
(Policies?)
- Labour promised to implement policies of the Beveridge Report (extremely popular).
- Churchill- rejected the report & did not have a clear strategy for post war recovery.
- Labour’s manifesto seems more specific, ambitious, detailed and thought through.
Why did Labour win by a landslide in the 1945 General Election?
(Public mood?)
- Public- wanted a change after the harsh war years.
- They associated the Tories with the high unemployment of the 20s & 30s and failed appeasement.
Attlee Government 1945-51
What were some of the key achievements/ policies that show a development in welfare?
- The 1944 Education Act
- The 1945 Family Allowance Act
- The 1946 National Insurance Act
- The 1946 National Health Service Act
- The Industrial injuries Act
- Nationalised key industries
- More housing
- Means testing abolished.
- Improved education.
What did the 1944 Education Act do?
- Introduced universal secondary education split into three parts- Grammar, Modern and Technical schools.
- It also created a Government Minister for education & raised the school leaving age to 16 by 1973.
What did the 1945 Family Allowance Act do?
Gave money to support those with children (child benefits).
What did the 1946 National Insurance Act do?
- Paid for through taxes.
- Government provided support/ benefits in cases of sickness, unemployment, retirement, maternity, widows, guardians allowance for orphans and a grant for funeral expenses.
The 1946 National Health Service Act?
- Major law- gave healthcare to all- paid for by taxes & free at the point of need.
- Allowed for creation of NHS, 1948 (Nye Bevan was health minister in charge of the NHS.)
What did the Industrial Injuries Act do?
Provided cover for accidents that happened at work.
What was nationalised?
The coal, steel, iron and railway industries, which prevented their collapse.
What happened to housing?
- By 1948 125,000 ‘prefab’ homes had been built
- by 1951, 1 million good quality council homes were built, 4/5 homes built by the state.
What happened to education?
- Improved education.
- Built 900 primary schools (for baby boom).
- Built 250 secondary schools- schools leaving age raised to 15.
What were reasons as to why Labour lost the 1950 & 1951 election?
- Rationing
- Austerity
- ## Taxation
