Winston Churchill 1951-55 Flashcards
How old was Winston Churchill when he became Prime Minister?
Churchill was 77 years old when he become PM for second time in October 1951 election.
How did he view his return as Prime Minister?
He saw his return as a belated thank you from the British people for his wartime leadership.
Key Events and Developments (6)
- Rationing was ended.
- Steel industry was denationalized
- Conservative party committed to builidng 300,000 houses a year.
- Government continued with Keynesian polices.
- Britain detonated the first atomic bomb in 1952.
Who was a key figure in Churchill’s government?
R.A. Butler who was the Chancellor of the Exchequer
Besides Butler being the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Churchillls government what other roles did the serve in the Conservative Government?
Chancellor of the Exchequer 1951-55
Home Secretary 1957-62
Foreign Secretary 1962-64
What did the roles that Butler serve mean?
That he had a huge influence in the development of modern Conservatism and pushed party into a progressive direction.
When he was the Minister of Education during Churchills Coalition what important polices did he introduce?
Education Act of 1944
What was the significance of the Education Act of 1944
It indicated the Conservatives concern for social issues which was a prominent that that the Conservatives were going to adopt as one of their planks in their political platform.
What important document did Butler implement?
The industrial charter of 1947 where Britain and his colleagues accepted to operate a mixed economy, containing both private industry and state directed concerns which trade unions would have a legitimate and respected role to play.
What were Butlers economic polices?
- Maintain full employment whilst at the same time achieving economic growth.
- Expand welfare state.
- Developing nuclear weapons
- Military defence programme.
What had both Labour and the Conservatives tried to do?
They had tried to rebuild a modern competitive industrial economy but had crippled themselves by taking on the huge costs involving in running a welfare state and maintaining an extensive defenence programme.
What term was used to show Butlers ideas being close to Labour Party? Where was it first coined?
‘Butskellism’ was first coined in The Economist in `1954
What did the term Butskellism represent?
The Conservative left of Butler and Hugh Gaitskell being a key figure on Labour right. Suggesting the left and right wings of the two parties met in the middle to form a consensus on such matters as finance, economy and the welfare state.
How did Gaitskell and Butler differ?
1) Gaitskell favored high taxation and greater government direction.
2) Butler believed in economic control through use of interest rates (raise or lower the cost of borrowing money thus stimulating economic activity)
What year did economic conditions start to improve?
1952
