Topic 7 Flashcards
Rebuilding the country after the war
What were the 5 giant problems in Britain?
Want
Ignorance
Disease
Squalor
Idleness
Who wrote the Beverage Report?
Sir William Beveridge
What did the Beveridge Report say?
Britain faced 5 giant problems in society.
When was the Beveridge Report published?
1942
How many copies did the Beveridge Report sell?
635,000
What did Labour promise?
Social reform and a better Britain. Their election manifesto was: ‘Let us face the future’.
What did the giant of ‘Want’ mean?
The need for more money
What did the Giant of ‘Squalor’ mean?
The need for better housing.
What did the Giant of ‘Ignorance’ mean?
The need for a better education. Many people were illiterate in Britain.
What did the Giant of ‘Idleness’ mean?
The desire for full employment. Too many people were unemployed, especially before the war.
What did the Giant of ‘Disease’ mean?
The need for every citizen to access a comprehensive health care.
What does Socialist mean?
To provide for the people
For the government to provide care for the people including benefits, pensions.
State ownership of industry. For example, the government own the coal mines, transport and electricity.
What did Labour bring in to tackle the giant of ‘Want’?
1945 Family Allowance Act - money paid to EVERY mother.
1946 Family Allowance Act - increased unemployment benefit, sick pay/benefits; maternity benefits; pensions
What did Labour bring in to tackle the giant of ‘Squalor’?
Homes for All Policy - to build better, modernised homes
Prefabricated buildings
The Burt Committee to build 300,000 homes
The New Towns Act of 1946 - brought in council housing
Town & Country Planning ACT
What did Labour bring in to tackle the giant of ‘Ignorance’?
The 1944 Education Act already made school compulsory up to 14.
1946 school leaving age was increased to 15.
Brought in 3 types of schools:
1. Primary - 3 - 11 . Pupils sat 11+ exam to decide where they would go.
- Grammar schools - best schools for those passed 11+ with high scores.
- Secondary Modern schools - not the best.
What did Labour bring in to tackle the giant of ‘Disease’?
The National Health Service Act.
Act was passed in 1946.
NHS opened its doors in 1948.
What did Labour bring in to tackle the giant of ‘Idleness’?
Nationalisation of industry.
Nationalisation is government owned industry including the coal board; British Rail and electricity.
Who was Aneurin Bevan?
The Minister of Health for the Labour Party and founder of the NHS.
Why was there opposition to the NHS?
- BMA (British Medical Association) believed members would loose money.
- Worried no private patients
- BMA did not want their doctors to become salaried.
How did people react to a ‘socialist Britain’?
Overall, very happy. Socialist Britain did try to make a better Britain.
Many complained about the cost of the welfare state, especially NHS.
People needed better housing, more money, better health care & education.
Some complained about nationalisation.
