Why did the Conservatives dominate? Flashcards
Affluence
Their economic policies applied to an electorate that was becoming more-and-more affluent.
They were able to manipulate the economy to enter a “go” phase in the months before elections to increase voter confidence.
They embraced the economic philosophies of Keynes and Beveridge, moving towards politics’ middle ground - they were able to beat Labour at their own game.
The Conservatives were also able to create and then preside over affluence - there was no reason to vote Labour.
- Rationing finally ends under Churchill (meat in 1954)
- Unemployment rarely above 2%
- Home ownership at 44%
- TV ownership at 91%
Economic Policies
Successive Chancellors controlled the economic cycle through doses of reflation.
- 1955 Rab Butler’s Spring Budget lowered the basic rate of income tax as part of a £134 million tax giveaway.
- 1959 DavidHeathcoat-Armoury lowered income tax to a pre-war low of 38.75%.
Slogans:
1955, Eden - “Conservative freedom works”
1959, Macmillan - “Life is better with the Conservatives”
Thus, the Conservatives could be trusted to deliver affluence.
The Unions
The Conservatives were able to beat Labour at their own game.
The Conservatives were committed to nationalisation and the mixed economy.
Only the British Iron and Steel Association (producers responsible for national planning of consumption) was privatised. [Eventually nationalised under Wilson (2nd term) in 1967]
The Government is therefore responsible to millions of workers, with union membership at 10 million. They created harmonious and placating relationships with the unions through Minister for Labour, Walter Monkton. Industrial trouble was largely bought off with wage increases.
Political Factors
Conservative leaders were able to highlight the party’s economic competency.
In 1955, Anthony Eden utilised the new medium of television to focus on his mantra of “Conservative Freedom Works”.
In 1959, Macmillan, Supermac, stressed the theme of continuing prosperity in “Life is better with the Conservatives”, also promising to double the standard of living within a generation.
Social Policy
Although Labour created the welfare state, expenditure on it increased under the Conservatives (in real terms and as a percentage of public expenditure) - from 35% to 43%.
Macmillan was defined by his commitment to the welfare state. As Minister for Housing, Macmillan was able to surpass the 300,000 new homes target, constructing 1.7 million by 1964.
Labour were rubbish politically
In 1955, the ageing and backward-looking Attlee was unable to tame the increasingly wayward Bevanites creating huge divisions in his party.
In 1952, 57 Bevanites had defied the party whip and voted against rearmament.
In 1955, 62 defied again voting against the H-bomb.
In 1959, Gaitskell made a major blunder over not increasing taxation which was perceived to be a crude attempt to buy off the electorate.
Labour were rubbish economically
Labour had collapsed in 1951 with Aneurin Bevan’s resignation over the introduction of prescription charges. The high spending, high taxation aproach to the welfare state was also deeply connotated with the austerity of the Attlee years. - This cost them the 1951 election and proceeded to haunt them throughout the 1950s.
During the fifties, the Bevanites were demanding the increased nationalisation.
A relatively right-wing group of the party who surrounded Hugh Gaitskell and his “Future of Socialism” wision argued that further nationalisation and Clause 4 (owning the means of the UK) were irrelevant.
Therefore, the Conservatives were the party to be trusted with preserving affluence whilst Labour were perceived to be a party of tax-and-spend.
