Theme 1 a 1 - A changing political landscape 1918-79 Flashcards
Why did the Liberal Parties popularity decrease?
- The Liberal Party began to “split” during WW1. Representation of the People Act after WW1 gave the new Labour Party more voters than ever before.
- David Lloyd George split the Liberal Party further by teaming up with Conservatives in 1918.
- DLG acted like a sleazy politician between 1918-1922 & Liberals never found a way to recover after 1922.
Why did the support of the Labour Party increase?
- Labour Party formed in 1900 & was the youngest political party in Britain.
- The Labour Party grew out of a strong “grass-roots” organisation. (E.g. The Trade Union movement)
- The Representation of the People Act gave more working class people the vote than ever before & this helped boost the number of people who actually voted for the Labour Party.
What was the reason for the conservative dominance?
- Between 1918 - 1922 the Conservatives worked with David Lloyd George (Liberal) and then decided to break that support in 1922. The Liberals were very, very, weak by then.
- Conservatives had effective leadership & effective organisation at a time when the Liberal Party was getting weaker and weaker.
When and why was the national government started?
- National Government formed in 1931, in the context of an “economic blizzard” (loads of problems) the country was facing.
- Ramsey Macdonald led the National Government made up of members of the Conservative and Liberal Party too.
What did the national government do?
The National Government…
- Dealt with the rise of extremist ideas (like fascism)
- Helped the economy was but not able to do enough for “traditional industries”
- Removed the pound from the Gold Standard which meant Britain recovered from the Depression quicker than other countries around the world.
Why Britain faced economic problems in the interwar years?
- Effect World War One had on British trade, the value of money, debt and on Britain falling behind in technological development.
- Bad management of the British economy during the 1920s by the government.
- The rise of the Trade Unions. Workers beginning to put pressure on their conditions as created by their managers.
- The impact of the Depression after 1929.
Explain how the weaknesses of the liberal and Labour Party lead to the conservative dominance in interwar politics
DLG’s mistakes as liberal leader
- Causing division due to quarrel with Asquith Lack of healthy opposition to conservatives limited support for the Labour Party in all areas of the country
- Hard outside the industrial working class
- many feared socialism in the country around the 1926 general strike
- 1931 labour was deeply divided in their view of how to end the economic crisis 1931
- many right-wing liberals split from the official and started the national liberals
Explain how having effective leadership and image with the people helped the conservatives dominant interwar politics.
- Stanley Baldwin’s skill - 1923-1937
- Continued to rebrand and present as straight talker of the people.
- Promoted a good working relationship between workers & employers
- His ‘safety first campaign’.
- Réputation for building economic happiness and competence
- Baldwin gained a reputation got economic competence and gained wealthy middle class liberal voters Political skill in weakening the liberal party
- 1922 - Baldwin was a key figure of defrosting the DLG coalition
- Baldwin supported free trade and took away policies that had united liberals
- Returned to protectionism in 1924
- 1870s - rebranding away form wealth, privilege to one nation tories to attract uncommitted working class voters
- promoted empire, patriotism and national defence.
How did the election system explain why the conservatives dominated interwar politics?
- People could vote in more than one place (Businessmen could vote in-home and company constancy; home and university constancy)
- Boundaries of constituencies changed (more middle class suburbs, greater representation)
- First past the post electoral system
- Votes in each constancy determine the MP
- Loss of loads of MPs from parliament (1921 - Irish free state made Ireland gain independence and 80 nationalist MPs were lost.
When was the coupon election?
1918
Date of - The armistice signed with Germany, end of WW1
November 1918
Date of - The post-war boom followed by slump
1919-1920
Date - David Lloyd George resigns; Bonar law becomes prime minister
October 1922
Date - Conservative government formed, led by Stanley Baldwin
May 1923
Date - First labour government formed, led by Ramsey MacDonald
January - October 1924
Date - The Conservative government formed, led by Stanley Baldwin
November 1924
Date - Second labour government formed, led by Ramsey MacDonald
June 1929
Date - Fall of second labour government; establishment of national government; height of Great depression
August 1931
Date - Introduction of the means test
1934
Date - Ramsey MacDonald resigns; Stanley Baldwin becomes prime minister
June 1935
Date - Abdication crisis
1936
Date - Neville chamberlain becomes prime minister
1937
Date - establishment of wartime coalition government, led by Winston Churchill
May 1940
Date - Labour landslide victory; clement Attlee becomes prime minister
July 1945
Date - defeat of labour government; conservative government led to Winston Churchill
October 1951
Date - Anthony Eden becomes prime minister
1955
Date - Suez crisis
October - November 1956
Date - Harold Macmillan becomes prime minister
January 1957
Date - Macmillan makes his ‘never had it so good’ speech
July 1957
Date - The Profumo scandal - Alec Douglas-Home becomes prime minister
1963
Date - Defeat of conservative government’ labour government led by Edward heath
June 1970
Date - Edward Heath is forced to introduce a three-day working week
January - March 1974
Date - Labour win two elections under Harold Wilson
1974
Date - James Callaghan becomes prime minister
1976
Date - Winter of dicontent
1978-79
Date - Defeat of labour government; conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher
May 1979
How much war debt where Britain in after WW1?
£3.2 billion mainly to the USA
What were the main three political parties in Britain ?
Liberal
Conservative
Labour
What are the ideals of the Labour Party?
- Emerged from the trade union movement
- Based on working-class votes.
What was the National Government ?
Partly the Conservative Party which had been part of the wartime coalition, which was electorally the most popular party of the period 1920-30.
What are the ideals of the Liberal party in 1918?
- Believing in free trade and a limited role for government.
- They were a party of social reform.
- From 1906 - they implemented state pensions, unemployment relief and the beginnings of state-provided healthcare.
Which political party dominated prior to WW1?
Liberal Party
What problems did the liberal party face prior to WW1?
- Home rule in Ireland
- Women suffrage movement
- Increasing militant trade union movement
How did the experience of the war have deeply dividing the Liberal party?
- Many opposed growth in power of the state, particularly on issue of conscription
- War had resulted in coalition with the Conservative party from 1915 onwards. In 1916, when DLG became PM, many liberal MPs believed abandoned the principles of party & had become too close to the Conservatives.
- In 1918 election, DLG campaigned against the many members of the Liberal Party who stood in independent opposition to him. This split party’s vote & they were never to recover.
What did the labour party evolve from?
The trade union congress (TUC) set up in 1900 as the main organising body of the trade union movement.
- By 1906 they had almost 1 million affiliated members
Why was it easier for Labour politicians to be elected to parliament after 1911?
- Liberal government allowed wages for MPs.
- Meant that politics was no longer solely an activity for people who were already independently wealthy.
After 1918 what statistics were there about electoral expansion?
It tripled - 7.7 to 21.4 million
- Lead to a drastic expansion in the party’s voter base.
- ROPA 1918 - women
- Multiple constituencies
What were the Conservatives ideals after WW1?
Presented themselves as a party of the middle classes & those members of the working class who aspired to ‘better’ themselves through property ownership.
When were the conservatives part of the war time coalition?
1915 - 1918 and continued to support DLG until 1922
What was the outcome of the 1918 general election?
Coalition liberals won with a landslide victory!
HOWEVER
Conservatives had got over three times as many votes!
State four reasons for the outcome of the 1918 general election.
- The liberal experienced a collapse in votes.
- The popularity of DLG’s coalition
- Promise of social reforms
- The rise of the labour party
Explain DLG’s character
- A national hero
- Credited ‘the man who won the war’
- Tough negotiator in the Paris Peace Conference
- With a humble origin in north Wales
- Made clear he was no friend to privilege and the house of lords
Explain the knighthood & peerage scandal
June 1922
- In the past, had been sold discreetly
- DLG traded in titles and knowledge of this activity was widespread.
- During 6 years as PM - 1,500 knighthoods and nearly 100 peerages were sold
How many knighthoods did DLG sell?
1,500 knighthoods in the 6 years
How many peerages did DLG sell?
Nearly 100 in the 6 years
Give two examples of a title that DLG gave away
- To fleet street newspaper magnates, such as Lord Beaverbrook, was so that they would turn a blind eye and not report the practice of the scandal
- 1922 honours list - several people who had criminal convictions for fraud and the press finally published the story.
What did DLG decide when it came to Turkey?
- Decided to go to war with Turkey if Turkey decided to go against anything they had been forced to sign for in the Peace Treaty of 1918.
- His Conservative Coalition partners disagreed with the policy
- They decided that the looming crisis with turkey was their opportunity to act
What happened at the Carlton Club meeting?
- This was a secret meeting of leading conservatives was held at the Carlton Club, a private members club used by London political elites.
- They decided to abandon the coalition with the liberals.
- As a result, the election of November 1922 was a disaster for the liberals.
What were the results for the November 1922 general election?
Conservatives won!
What was a large difference during the 1922 general election?
- There were no longer Southern Ireland MPs who normally voted Liberal
- The Conservatives split the coalition
Who led the Liberals in the 1922 general election?
Herbert Asquith
What was the reaction people had to Labour in government?
A minority government and seen as deeply alarming
Committed to parliamentary democracy and went to great lengths to demonstrate how moderate it was.
How did the Conservative Party compare the labour party to?
To the repressive regime in Soviet Russia and suggested that there might be soviet sympathisers among the cabinet.
What is the national executive committee of the labour party?
- The National Executive Committee (NEC) is the governing body of the Labour Party, overseeing the overall direction of the party and the policy-making process.
- It sets strategic objectives on an annual basis and meets regularly to review the work of the party.
What was Ramsey MacDonald like as PM?
- He was forced to make economic choices that affected the poorest voters and had to manage the threat of industrial action.
- He had to compromise and he was criticised for not being more radical.
- The government only lasted 9 months.
Give an example of an act passed by the Ramsay Macdonald gov.
- The Housing (financial provisions) Act 1924.
- Increased the amount of money available to local authorities to build homes for low-income workers.
Explain what Ramsay MacDonald was like.
- First British Labour PM
- Three-time PM
- Was a radical socialist of politics
- He became suspicious of communism after the Russian Revolution
- First working class leader of Britain
Why did Ramsay’s gov collapse?
- Autumn 1924
- A motion of no confidence of which MacDonald narrowly won
- Followed the decision of the attorney general sir Patrick Hastings to drop charges of incitement to mutiny against a socialist newspaper - 6th August
- The prosecution was withdrawn and MacDonald was accused of having secret communist sympathies.
- A second notion was passed against the gov and MacDonald was forced to resign and call an election.
What was the incitement of mutiny?
- Attorney General Sir Patrick Hasting dropped charges against a socialist newspaper the workers weekly.
- They had published an article by John Ross Campbell which broke the law by demanding that soldiers: “Refuse to shoot down your fellow workers! Refuse to fight for profits! Turn your weapons on your oppressors!”
- 6th August - The prosecution was withdrawn and MacDonald was accused of having secret communist sympathies.
- A second motion was passed against the gov and MacDonald was forced to resign and call an election.
What did the Conservatives do before the October 1924 election to stop labour getting support?
- In the conservative-supporting newspaper ‘Daily mail’ it was claimed that a letter from the Russian communist revolutionary Gregori Zinoviev to the British Communist Party.
- It seemed to be a letter to prepare to overthrow the government.
- It was published in the hopes to discourage voting for Labour and other left-wing Government.
What happened during the October 1924 general election?
- The conservative party under Stanley Baldwin was able to form a majority.
- They took many seats from both Liberals and Labour parties.
What decline was there in votes for the Liberal Party during the 1924 general election?
- This was a defining moment for the Liberal Party.
- 12% decline in its share of votes lost 118 seats.
What were the Conservative ideals 1924-29?
- Alternative to labour who threatened socialism in Britain
- Baldwin = modernist politician appealing to all classes.
- Rhetoric of ‘class war’ that had emerged during the brief labour gov was deeply damaging to Britain - attacked labour as secret agents of the USSR
- After he confronted and defeated the general strike and attempted to be conciliatory to the strikers saying ‘Our business is not to triumph over those who have failed in a mistaken attempt’
What was the political members bill?
1925 -
To prevent the labour party from receiving a political levy from the trade unions. Which would have financially crippled it.
What did Baldwin think about the political levy bill?
- He opposed it in the house of commons and it subsequently failed.
- He was more concerned with political stability than the political conflict between the parties
What was in the Trade Disputes Act?
1906 -
The political levy on union members could no longer be automatically deducted from their union membership and passed to the labour party but instead, members had to agree to pay it.
How many members opted out of the trade disputes act and how much financing was cut?
Over one third chose to opt-out causing the labour party’s finances to decrease by 35%
Explain what happened at the 1929 general election
- March 1929
- Conservatives won the most votes
- However, this didn’t translate into the majority of seats
- This meant MacDonald and the labour party was back in power
- But the gov did not prove strong enough to weather the economic storms that were to break later in the year.
What was Macdonalds housing act?
1930 -
- Cleared 3/4 of a million slum houses & replaced with modern homes by 1939.
- Part of MacDonalds initiative in the second term.
What was Macdonalds coal mines act?
1930 -
Attempted to ensure better pay for workers & more efficient pits, but the weakness of the legislation ensured that the mine owners could ignore it.
Part of MacDonalds initiative in his second term.
What is Mcdonalds Unemployment Insurance Act?
- Giving the government powers to create public works schemes to alleviate unemployment.
- Was funded with £25 million of government money
- Part of MacDonalds initiative in his second term.
What were the economic rumours of summer 1931?
The forthcoming budget would be unbalanced
- Meant that the government had plans to spend more than it could afford.
- leading to an increase in borrowing.
What did the government do to try and reassure finances in the summer of 1931?
- spending cuts
- tax hikes
- introduce 10% cut in unemployment assistance.
When did MacDonald resign during his second term? and why?
24th August 1931
The threat if this cut split the Labour Party and MacDonald’s cabinet.
Who was in charge of the monarchy 1930s?
King George V
What did the Labour Party think about the National Government ?
- Hated it
- Motion to expel MacDonald and Lord Philip Snowden (Chancellor of the Exchequer) as they viewed them as traitors.
- After being expelled - Started a new National Labour Committee designed to sponsor Labour parliamentary candidates who supported the National Government.
State four reasons why the Labour party developed in the interwar years?
- Party Unity
- Development of grassroots organisations
- Changes to the voting law in 1918
- Independence from the Liberal Party
State why party unity helped the Labour party develop in the interwar years.
ARTHUR HENDERSON AFTER 1917
- First labour leader able to gain representation in cabinet
- Able to reflect a consensus view of the labour govt.
STRONG POLITICAL IDENTITY
- Loyalty/ working for the working man/class
- Strong sense of class consciousness among the industrial workforce. 1917
NO INVOLVEMENT IN WARTIME GOVERNMENT
- Divisions over supporting the war effort
- Healed when resigned from wartime coalition
- Remained unified on issues affecting the working people eg. prices and pensions
How did the labour parties development of grassroots organisation help establish them during the interwar years?
LOCAL BRANCHES / OFFICES 1917
- Gave a national identity
- 1924-only 19 constituencies didn’t have labour local branch.
- Similar number of candidates as conservatives in 1920
TRADE UNION SUPPORT
- Trade unions controlled the parties finances
- There was a distortion of funding for campaigns in winnable areas eg. mining
FUNDING
- Union banking - develop a national political machine.
How did changes in the voting law help the Labour Party develop during the interwar years?
IMPACT OF REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLES ACT 1918
- Triples electorates - included more working-class voters as well as women.
IMPORTANCE OF THE LABOUR’S ANTI-GERMAN STANCE IN 1918
- Strongly influences by patriotism - the anti-germans won famously
- Those who took a more pacifist line were heavily defeated.
What did the representation of the peoples act do?
1918
Triples electorates and included more working-class voters as well as women.
Explain how the independence from the Liberal Party helped the Labour Party develop during the interwar years?
1914 WAS A TURNING POINT
- Before - close links between liberal and labour both left-wing - liberals = senior members in unofficial partnership
- After, labour developed a separate identity to promote free trade, internationalism and social reform
CONSTITUTION OF 1918
- new constitution of nationalisation of key industries
- New ruthless approach in elections aiming to establish independent identity. - swept up former liberal support.
WAY IT CAPITALISED ON THE SPLITS IN THE LIBERAL PARTY
- 1924 Labour govt. - reputation of economic caution and competence in foreign affairs rebutting liberal plotting of discrediting labour politicians.
What did the Irish free state do?
1921
- Ireland gained independence
- 80 nationalist MPs lost who supported Liberals
- Conservatives receive support from 10 Northern Irish MPs.
How did the Irish free state effect politics?
- 80 nationalist MPs were lost who supported Liberals
- Conservatives gained support of 10 Northern Ireland MPs
What did the plural voting system do for Britain politically?
- Ability to vote in multiple constituents
- All the types of men that had the ability to vote twice often voted conservative
- Businessmen could vote in both their home and company constituencies.
- People could vote in both their home and university constituencies
How did the conservatives effective Party unity and organisation help them dominate interwar politics?
LOTS OF FUNDING
- party of property
- Distribute party materials widely and exploit new technologies eg. cinema adverts
GOOD STRUCTURE OF BRANCHES
- Organised local branches with network of professional agents
GOOD INTERNAL ORGANISATION
- Conservative research department in 1929
- Research, drafting, speeches and preparing party documents.
What was the role of the conservative research department?
1929
Responsible for research, drafting, speeches and preparing party documents.
What did the Representation of the People Act 1918 do?
A law that was passed that gave women over 28 the right to vote and made sure all men over 21 could vote.
Define - A National Government
A government formed in the time of an emergency.
It involves members of competing and rival political parties putting aside their differences for the greater good
Define - Grass-roots organisation. And give an example.
A grassroots organisation is something that begins with popular participation by lots of people.
A Trade Union is an example of this.
A union of workers to give them strength against their bosses.
Explain how the weakness of Liberal and Labour Parties helped the conservatives dominate interwar politics
DAVID LLOYD GEORGE’S MISTAKES AS LIBERAL LEADER
- Division due to his quarrel with Asquith
LACK OF HEALTHY OPPOSITION TO CONSERVATIVES LIMITED SUPPORT FOR THE LABOUR PARTY IN ALL AREAS OF THE COUNTRY
- Hard to get support outside industrial working class.
- Fear of socialism around the 1926 general strike
- 1931 - divided how to handle the economic crisis.
- 1931 - Many right-wing liberals split from official and started national liberals.
When was the national liberals created?
1931
Many right-wing liberals split from the official liberals and started national liberal party.
Explain how an effective leadership/image with the people helped the conservatives dominate interwar politics
REPUTATION FOR BUILDING ECONOMIC HAPPINESS/ COMPETENCE
- Baldwin gained a reputation for economic competence
- Gained wealthy middle class Liberal voters.
STANLEY BALDWIN’S SKILL
- leader 1923-1937
- He could be very dull with his ‘safety first’ campaign
- Owned a fortune in steel industry
- Rebrand presented as straight talker of the people
- Promote good working relationship between workers and employers
POLITICAL SKILL IN WEAKENING THE LIBERAL PARTY
- 1922 - Baldwin was a key figure of destroying the DLG coalition
- Baldwin supported free trade and took away polices that had united liberals
- Returned to protectionism in 1924.
What were three things Stanley Baldwin did during the interwar years?
- 1922 - Baldwin was a key figure of destroying the DLG coalition
- Baldwin supported free trade and took away polices that had united liberals
- Returned to protectionism in 1924.
What did the conservative party do in the 1870s?
- Rebranding away from the wealth and privilege to ‘one nation tories’
- Promoted empire, patriotism and national defence
- To attract uncommitted working class voters
State why the Liberal party declined in power after 1918
- Representation of the peoples act 1918
- 1922 and after ->
- 1918 Coupon Election
- WW1 impacted on unity
How did the representation of the peoples cause a liberal decline in power?
This was a reform of 1883
- Labour policies
- Rise in Labour vote share vs. fall in Liberal.
The ROPA led to a growing number of working-class voters - Labour support
What happened to Labour support after 1918?
7.1% -> 30.5%
What happened to Liberal support after 1918?
43.9% -> 29.6%
What happened in the years after 1922 that lead to a decline in support for the liberal party?
FUNDING AND LOSING VOTERS
- Refused to give Liberals money unless they followed him
LLOYD GEORGE SCANDAL
- Knighthoods and peerages- Made him look corrupt and untrustworthy
THE CONSERVATIVES WERE IN A POSITION TO CAPITALISE ON HOW STRONG THEY WERE
- Destroyed Liberals - Conservatives won next election.
- Capitalised on scandle to get rid of DLG
1926 - DLG REUNITED THE LIBERALS
How much did DLG sell knighthoods for?
£10,000
Explain why the WW1 impact caused a decline in Liberal support
DORA IN 1916
- DLG saw DORA as a way to help WW1 so was widely supported in his attempt to oust Asquith (1916)
- UnLiberal thinking and split the liberal party.
GENERAL MAURICE
- Statistics debated in Gov and Asquith accused DLG of not sending adequate supplies to the western front
- DLG was a great orator he squashed this and said all his military info and tips had come from Maurice’s office.
ASQUITH MISCALCULATION
- Asquith had the majority of Liberal support to oust DLG however failed in his attempt to do so.
What happened during the Maurice Debate?
- Statistics were debated in Gov and Asquith accused DLG of not sending adequate supplies to the western front
- As DLG was a great orator he squashed this and said all his military info and tips had come from Maurice’s office.
How did the 1918 coupon election do for the decline in Liberal support?
VOTERS CHOOSING BETWEEN TWO LIBERAL PARTIES
- Asquith lost his seat and party only got 28
- DLG and Asquith ran separately less votes for the liberals as a whole
- Landslide victory as coalition getting 335 seats+ DLG getting 133
PUT THE CONSERVATIVES IN A STRONG POLITICAL POSITION
- DLG dependant on the conservative party and so when they declined his proposal for a ‘centre party’
- anti-labour greater wedge between the liberal party.
CONSIDER HOW THIS BUILT UP PROBLEMS FOR THE FUTURE
- DLG hated by liberal and rejected by the conservatives and so there was little hope for the liberal party.
State why there were economic problems after WW1
- Return to the Gold Standard in 25.
- Protectionism
- WW1 and the rise of other countries
- The Geddes Axe (1922)
- Imbalance in the North and South
- The depression
- Impact of Strikes and the General Strike of 1926
- The rise of the Trade Unions
Explain how WW1 and the rise of other countries create economic problems
DEBT AND DEATH OF WORKFORCE
- 900,000 men killed, they made up the workforce
- Wartime debts rose to 160% of income by 1924
- WW1 cost $3.25 billion
- Others were in $8 Billion debt mainly to USA
LOSS OF VALUE OF THE POUND AND INFLATION
- 20% ships sunk in WW1
- Inflation rose to 25% in 1918
- Rivals (Japan) took British markets
- Forced to abandon the Gold Standard 1914
- This rose inflation and dropped the value of a pound
- £1 = $3.19
HOW WELL OTHER COUNTRIES WERE DOING AND REASONS FOR THIS
- Eg. Japan
TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
What economic statistics were true after WW1?
- 900,000 men killed, they made up the workforce
- Wartime debts rose to 160% of income by 1924
- WW1 cost $3.25 billion
- Others were in $8 Billion debt mainly to USA
Why did the loss of value of the pound and inflation cause problems after WW1?
- 20% ships sunk in WW1
- Inflation rose to 25% in 1918
- Rivals (Japan) took British markets
- Forced to abandon the Gold Standard 1914
- This rose inflation and dropped the value of a pound
- £1 = $3.19
State two examples of technological developments
- Machine tools
- Assembly line techniques
What was the difference between some European countries after WW1?
- Britain was undeveloped as no fighting actually took place in Britain.
- France and Germany had been completely destroyed and so they were forced to change and adapt.
- This meant they would outstrip the British growth.
Explain how the Geddes Axe effected the British Economy after WW1
1922 - £24 Billion
EXAMPLES OF CUTS IN PUBLIC SPENDING
- Education, pensions, unemployment benefits, housing and health
FIGURES OF UNEMPLOYMENTDISCONTENT LED TO FALLING WAGES AND TO INCREASED STRIKE ACTION.
How much tax was there in 1918 compared to 1922?
- £18 per capita
- £24 per capita
How did the return to the Gold Standard help Britain Economically after WW1?
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE VALUE OF THE POUND
- High interest rates to raise £ above other currencies.
- This stunted economic growth
- Business’ spend more on debts and people save money
HOW THIS IMPACTED ON BUSINESS VALUE OF THE $ COMPARED TO THE £ AND CONSEQUENCES OF THIS.
- Keynes argued £ overvalued 10% than $. The US low tariffs made more advert
- This helps every other country trying to buy British goods
- This made exports expensive and less competitive
Explain why protectionism affected the British Economy
TARIFFS ON FOREIGNRELUCTANCE / INABILITY OF TRADITIONAL INDUSTRY TO CHANGE / MODERNISEOTHER COUNTRIES ‘TARIFF’ WALLS
- Further limited trade
- Britain could not benefit as much from emerging world markets
- 75% of 1913 levels of exports
IMPACT OF PROTECTIONISM; FALLING EXPORTS AND UNEMPLOYMENT
- unemployment of 60% of shipbuilding areas
- 49% in iron and steel industries
How had British exports change since 1913?
75% of what was being exported in 1913.
What percentage of shipbuilders were unemployed due to protectionism?
60%
What percentage of the steel and iron industries were unemployed due to protectionism?
49%
State why an imbalance in the north and south of the country caused problems for the British Economy
- Many traditional industries in the North
- 1933 - Unemployment to 2.5 million (25% workforce)
- It was higher in the north
How did the depression cause economic problems after WW1?
NEWER INDUSTRIES THAT WERE PRESENT IN THE SOUTH AND MIDLANDS
- London and SE was prosperous as consumer industries enjoyed boom
- Made rich south and poor north
FALL IN EXPORTS
- Fell by 25%
- MacDonald ‘economic blizzard
BAD GOVERNMENT DECISIONS AT FIRST
- Cutting spending and maintained high interest rates as still attached to the Gold Standard
IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL GOVERNMENT BREAKING FROM THE GOLD STANDARD ONCE AGAIN
- $4.80 ->$3.40 This helped the British economy in the long term
How much did coal production reduce 1929 to 1933?
1929 - coal 180 million tonnes
1933 - 155 million tonnes
What happened during Solider Mutiny in 1931?
12000 soldiers in Scotland as they opposed pay-cuts, this lead to a change in policy.
How did the rise of the trade unions cause economic problems after WW1?
WW1’S CONSEQUENCE FOR POWER OF TUs
- Huge growth in numbers 1915
- 18 memberships
- 4.8 -> 8.3 million
- This gave them great power and influence
IMPACT OF TU BEHAVIOUR
- Negative impact
- Aggression meant employers found it hard to be flexible with wages
- So big firing especially in traditional industries
CONTEXT OF THE YEAR 1926
- General strike
- 323 strikes
- 162.23 million working days lost
How many strikes were there during the general strikes?
323 strikes
162.23 million working days lost.
Explain the growth in memberships in trade unions
1915 - 18 memberships
4.3 -> 8.3 million
What was Herbert Asquith like?
- Ditherer
- Forced out by 1916.
- He was afraid to make large decisions eg. Conscription.
- He was taken over by DLG.
State 6 things that DORA did
- Dilute beer
- Censorship
- Rationing
- Licensing hours
- British summer time
- Control mines and railways.
Date of DORA
1916 - Defence of the Regime Act
What was the coupon election?
Each voter was given a coupon to vote for the coalition this would distinguish them from the separate Liberal party.
Conservatives go to the popular DLG and say he will be PM if the conservatives and Liberals Merge to form a coalition.
Why was the 1918 coalition weak?
Even though DLG won election they were dependant on the conservatives.
When DLG tries to make it permanent to make an anti-labour ‘centre party’ this fails and it splits the Liberals even more.
Who did DLG threaten to attack?
Threatened Turkey over Chanak
This made DLG look insensitive and seemed out of place with British society
Give a timeline of the events that led to a split in the Liberal party
1916 - DORA
1918 - Maurice Debate
1918 - Representation of the Peoples act
1918 - Coupon Election
1922 - Peerage and Knighthood scandal
1922 - Threatened Turkey over Chanak
What is the voting system in Britain?
First Past the post
- The candidate with the most votes wins that constituencies vote.
What did deaths during WW1 do for the voting system?
boundaries of constituencies were changed.
Conservative had a wide spread map of supporters so this made votes easier to come by.
What did the coupon election mean for the conservatives?
By supporting DLG at the time conservatives politics were growing in popularity.
It was a political investment for the future.
The conservatives won a lot more seats than the Liberals.
1922 - DLG fall from grace allows investment to be cashed in as they use this as an excuse to get out of the coalition.
This made the conservatives look really strong and unified compared to the weak liberals.
Who were the national Liberals?
After a complete divide in the Liberal Party two were created. DLG lead and they were so right-wing it was basically conservative.
Where in the country did most strikes happen between 1922-1931
North - traditional industriesin Heartlands
Why were people scared of Labour getting power?
- People thought if labour got power then they will turn the country more left-wing.
- This meant they voted more conservative.
- Some think they might be trying to start a communist revolution
What was Stanley Baldwin ideals?
- A very popular ‘one nation’ conservative
- This meant they would not be just a party of the rich. But that they should be helping the lower classes. This meant more people from different backgrounds would follow.
- The coupon election was also his idea
Who was Stanley Baldwins political hero and what did he believe?
Benjamin Disrayle
Conservative that established ‘one nation’ to bring about opportunity.
What was the yellow book?
DLG - Tried to get people to buy it as it showed ‘his way’ to deal with economic problems
Why wasn’t the yellow book sold that much?
- People had no faith in DLG
- They had no faith that the Liberals were actually economically competent
- The Geddes Axe annoyed many people.
What problems did the second labour government under Ramsay MacDonald face?
- Struggles to finance its spending commitments
- By 1931, came under intense pressure from international banks particularly in the USA.
How did Banks hold significant power over Britain?
Held large currency reserves of the British pound.
Due to the amount of debt Britain had accused by borrowing from the USA to finance the war.
