Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

History - Miss Wilde > The Affluent Society (1951 - 1964) > Flashcards

The Affluent Society (1951 - 1964) Flashcards

1
Q

Affluence 1951 - 1964

A
  • Average weekly earnings = £7.50 (1950) to £18 (1964)
  • Unemployment 1948-70 = Less than 2%
  • Consumer expenditure 1952-64 = Up 45%
  • Private cars = 2.5 mill (1952) to 5 mill (1959)
  • Macmillan speech, July 1957, ‘Never had it so good’
  • Home ownership = 1964, 44%
  • Food rationing ends 1954
  • 1,200 miles new or upgraded road 1957-63
  • 600,000 people a week at Butlins in 1950’s
  • 1.7 mill new houses built 1951-64
  • Greater availability of financial credit
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Describe the labour policies that the Conservatives adopted for 1951

A

Adopted labour policies:
- Welfare State
- Full Employment
- Mixed economy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Describe Labour divisons 1951 - 1964

A
  • Bevan resigns in 1951 over NHS charges
  • 63 MP’s abstain from debate about H-Bomb, against party orders
  • Party divided by Nationalisation (Crosland, Bevan & Morrison)
  • Divisions between Gaitskill & unilateralists over CND
  • 57 Bevanites vote against party rearmament against orders to abstain
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Economic policies 1951 - 1964

A
  • War time controls abolished 1953 - 1954
  • National income, 1950 - 1955 = Up 40%
  • Imports, 1951-late 50’s = Up to 29%
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Describe the political factors that lead to the Conservatives downfall in 1964

A
  • Satire in the arts
  • CND (large protest Sept 1961 about Polaris in Holy Loch)
  • France vetoes Britains application to the EEC
  • Night of the Long Knives
  • Labour revival begins 1958
  • Vassal Affair (March 1963)
  • Profumo scandal
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Describe the social factors that lead to the Conservatives downfall in 1964

A
  • 1957 Rent Act (allowed landlords to raise rents and benefitted middle class)
  • Racial tensions (immigrants, 1958 Notting Hill Race Riots, 1962 Commonwealth Immigration Act)
  • Educational inequality (Tripartate system, lack of higher education)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Describe the economic factors that lead to the Conservatives downfall in 1964

A
  • The failure of Nicky, Neddy and the pay-pause
  • The economy under Maudling and Lloyd
  • Conservatives leave office October 1964, leaving a government deficit of £750 million
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Describe the labour resurgence that lead to the Conservatives downfall in 1964

A
  • The decline of the Bevanites from 1955
  • Gaitskill begins to reunify the party (1955-1963)
  • Harold Wilson (leader of the labour party 1963 - 1964) had a much more popular appeal
  • 1961 ‘Signposts for the Sixties’
  • 1964 Labour election campaign
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Describe the 1961 ‘Signposts for the Sixties’

A

Labour policy document confidently outlines; the role of economic planning, the need to connect scientists and technicians and the link between planning, technological development and growth.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Describe the 1964 labour election campaign

A
  • ‘The New Britain’
  • Economic planning for growth
  • State support for Science and Technology
  • Comprehensive schools and the expansion of higher education
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Describe the economy under RAB Butler (1951-1955)

A

Stop:
- Cuts on imports, credit, travel allowances, food subsidies and meat ration
- By 1952, bank rate = 2-4%
- Reduced balance of payments

Go:
- 1953-1954, war time controls and food rationing removed
- April 1955, £134 million tax cuts (led to acute inflation and slump in balance of payments)

Summary:
- Great short term success, no long term plan
- By 1955 = near full employment, low inflation, no balance of payments problem, low taxes, rising prosperity
- 1950-1955, national income increased 40%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Describe the economy under Harold Macmillan (1955-1957)

A

Stop:
- Bank rate increased to 5.5%
- Cut food subsidies
- Reduced public investment
- Introduced Premium Bond scheme
- Added VAT to tobacco

Go:
- Reduced income tax

Summary:
- Successfully stops economy after inflation but reduces affluence
- Replaced Butler in the December reshuffle
- In summer 1957 there was a sterling crisis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Describe the economy under Peter Thorneycroft (1957-1958)

A

Stop:
- Cuts to public spending
- Bankrate increased from 5.5% to 7%

Summary:
- Fairly successful but doesn’t manage to completely stop the economy
- Wanted to cut £150 million from public services, Macmillan only allowed £100 million to be cut to prevent unemployment
- Thorneycroft, Powell and Birch resign in 1958 over this disagreement
- Revealed cracks in Macmillan’s cabinet

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Describe the economy under Derick Heathcoat-Amory (1958-1960)

A

Go:
- By November 1958, bank rate cut to 4%
- 1959, standard rate of income tax goes from 43% to 39%
- 1958-1960, economy grew 6%

Summary:
- Conservatives won the 1959 election but there was now inflation and a massive balance of payments crisis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Describe the economy under John Selwyn Lloyd (1960-1962)

A

Stop:
- Bank rate increased to 7%
- Nicky, Neddy and the pay-pause (all fail)

Summary:
- Almost every attempt to stop the economy failed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Describe the pay-pause

A
  • July 1961
  • Abruptly froze pay increases for public sector workers
  • Unfair since pay rises still available in the private sector
  • Affected beloved nurses
  • Could be ignored by powerful employers
  • Failed
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Describe the economy under Reginald Maudling (1962-1964)

A

Go:
- 1963 budget, cuts taxes by £300 million
- Economic growth rate = 4% in 1963 to 6% in 1964
- By 1964, exports 10% higher than 1961, imports 20% higher
- Unemployment in 1963 = 2.6%

Summary:
- Attempted ‘dash for growth’
- Failure that just caused further collapse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Describe Nicky

A
  • National Incomes Commission
  • A voluntary method of wage restraint
  • Boycotted by the TUC
  • Failed
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Describe Neddy

A
  • National Economic Development Council
  • Failed
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Describe some evidence of change to affluence and living standards

A
  • Economy 1951 to 1964, grew 2-3% a year
  • Unemployment below 2%
  • Pre-war slums cleared and replaced by new towns (e.g Kirby and Harlow)
  • Other affluence statistics
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Describe some evidence of continuity of affluence and living standards

A
  • ‘13 wasted years’
  • Little encouragement of scientific, technical or managerial education
  • Collages of Advanced Technology introduced but not given uni status
  • School system virtually ignored (tripartite & 11+)
  • Wealth creation and economic efficiency given low priority
  • Little done to modernise industry
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Describe some evidence of change to social class and the establishment

A
  • Upper class began to include those in finance, commerce and manufacturing
  • Middle class began to include managers, scientists, advertisers and salesmen
  • Press coverage of Profumo affair showed decline in deference for the establishment
  • Suez Crisis 1956 exposed lying and manipulation in the government
  • The rise of the CND from 1958
  • 1960’s satire boom
  • Criticism in the arts
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Describe some evidence of continuity of social class and the establishment

A
  • Surveys throughout the 50’s and 60’s, consistently found that 2/3rds of the British public self-identified as working class
  • The upper class was very focused on tradition, U and non-U speech, food, manners and customs
  • Upper-class and government still dominated by old public-school boys
  • 1960, still 600 butlers in Britain
  • Class system remained very established
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Describe some evidence of change to culture and criticism

A

1960’s satire boom:
- 1960 - Beyond the Fringe (play)
- 1961 - Private Eye (magazine)
- 1962 - The Week That Was (TV)
Criticism in the arts:
- 1956 - Look Back in Anger
- 1957 - Room at the Top
- 1958 - The Birthday Party
- 1958 - Saturday Night & Sunday Morning
- 1960 - This Sporting Life
- 1962 - A Kind of Loving

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Describe some evidence of continuity in culture and criticism

A
  • Books by Richard Hoggart, Anthony Sampson and C.P Snow show how Britain is still a class-ridden society
  • Not much change to class system or government
  • Anti-establishment media heavily criticised by many
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Describe some evidence of change to race and immigration

A
  • 1948; Empire Windrush, 492 Jamaicans -> 1961; 49,000 India & Pakistan, 66,000 Caribbean, 21,000 Hong Kong, Cyprus & elsewhere
  • 1962 Commonwealth Immigration Act - Ends right of unrestricted entry for Commonwealth citizens
  • From good attitudes towards the Commonwealth at Queen Elizabeth 2nd coronation to strongly anti-immigration feeling
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Describe some evidence of continuity in race and immigration

A
  • Continuous racism (Notting Hill Riots 1958, Sir Oswald Mosley, Teddy Boys, 1959 death of Keslo Cochrane)
  • Immigrants continued to live in poor areas. Perfectly legal for landlords to stipulate ‘No blacks’. Overcharged for slum housing (e.g Peter Rachman)
  • Continued immigration (1950’s = 676,000 immigrants, 1960’s = 1.25 million immigrants)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Describe the Notting Hill Riots

A
  • 30th August to 2nd September 1958
  • Crowds of up to 400 white men attacked Caribbean homes with milk bottles, iron bars, knives and petrol bombs
  • No fatal casualties
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Describe some evidence of change to the role of women

A
  • Increase in women entering middle-class occupations (nurses, teachers, secretaries)
  • By 1964 the number of working women had risen slightly
  • 1952 equal pay for teachers
  • 1954 equal pay for civil servants
  • Lives transformed by labour saving devices like washing machines and refrigerators
  • Second wave feminism spreading from America
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Describe some evidence of continuity in the role of women

A
  • Remained extremely conservative
  • 1950s average age of marriage = 21
  • 1950’s = 70% of women married
  • 1951 = 1/5th women worked
  • Family allowance paid to women so they didn’t have to work
  • Women financially dependant on husbands
  • Very few married women or women with children worked (considered bad for the children)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Describe some evidence of change to youth culture

A
  • Youth culture emerges in the 1950’s (labour saving devices free up time for girls and boys National Service ends in 1960)
  • Post-war baby boom, 1959 = 10 million teenagers/10% of the population
  • Subcultures (teddy boys, mods, rockers)
  • Fighting between Mods & Rockers - May 1964, organised rioting at Clacton, Margate and Brighton
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Describe some evidence of change to taboos and censorship

A
  • Sapphire, 1959, crime thriller, TV/film - racial tensions, sex and violence
  • Z-cars, TV - the reality of the police force
  • A Clockwork Orange, 1962, book - gang violence
  • Cathy Come Home, 1962, TV - homelessness
  • Taste of Honey , 1958, play - young unmarried white woman, pregnant with a black man’s child
  • Victim, 1961 - first english language film to use the word ‘homosexual’
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Describe some evidence of continuity in taboos and censorship

A
  • Backlash against ‘immorality & depravity’ - led by Mary Whitehouse and supported by parts of the National Press
  • In general, society remained socially conservative
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Summarise the relationship between Britain and the Empire

A
  • Britain could no longer afford an empire
  • There was a growing nationalist movement
  • Nazi Germany demonstrated the ethics of imperialism
  • The plan became to develop countries self-governing potential and guide them to independence. Former colonies should then join the Commonwealth and co-operate with Britain in Sterling area and in defence.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Describe the relationship between countries and their colonisers the 1950’s

A
  • Loas, Cambodia and Vietnam are given independence from France
  • Nationalists in North Africa lead to Algerian Crisis for France and encourages nationalists in Ghana
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Summarise the Korean War

A
  • 1950-1953
  • At the end of WW2, Korea was occupied by the Soviet Union in the North and the US in the South
  • In 1950, forces from North Korea (supported by the Soviet Union and China) invaded the South
  • The UN condemned the action and sent UN forces to combat the invasion
  • 20 countries supplied troops with Britain sending the second largest amount, 90,000 soldiers
  • A ceasefire was agreed in 1953 - Korea would be split into communist North and non-communist South
  • Over 1,000 British troops died
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Describe the effects of the Korean War

A
  • Showed Cold War being fought across the world
  • Demonstrated Britain’s willingness to continue as a major world power despite economic constraints
  • Made it clear the US was the greater power
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

List the causes of the Suez Crisis

A
  • Britains imperialist attitude
  • Actions of Nasser
  • The Cold War
  • Rise of Arab Nationalism
  • Actions of Eden
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Describe how Britains imperialist attitudes caused the Suez Crisis

A
  • Britain was determined to remain a great power
  • There was a growing rift between Britain and Egypt
  • Battle of ideals
40
Q

Describe how the actions of Nasser caused the Suez Crisis

A
  • A strong believer of Egyptian nationalism
  • US and Britain withdrew financial support from Nasser’s most important development project, the Aswan High Dam
  • Nasser established closer links with USSR (especially Czechoslovakia who supplied him with military equipment)
  • The Baghdad Pact of 1955 secured Britain’s friendship with the Middle East but Nasser was hostile towards it
41
Q

Describe how the Cold War caused the Suez Crisis

A
  • The Cold War meant Britain and the US were particularly wary of Egypt’s friendship with Russia
  • US financed the Aswan High Damn in an attempt to deter Nasser from expanding relations with the Soviet states but he continued to play both until the US withdrew financial support
  • Israel was an ally of the US and Egypt was an ally of the Soviet Union
  • The reduction of British forces in Egypt shifted the balance for potential military action by the West against the USSR
42
Q

Describe how the rise of Arab Nationalism caused the Suez Crisis

A
  • British withdrew from Palestine in 1948, allowing the creation of Israel
  • Defeat of Egypt in the Arab-Israeli War (1948-1949)
  • 1952, nationalist forces in Egypt forced the abdication of King Farouk and declared themselves a republic
  • Nassar’s aim to form a pan-Arab coalition of states under Egyptian leadership
43
Q

Describe how the actions of Eden caused the Suez Crisis

A
  • Eden had been involved with troop withdrawal in 1936 so had a personal interest (the agreement had been to remove all British troops by 1956 in tip return for Britain’s right of re-entry if the canal was threatened by war)
  • Eden disliked Nasser and Egyptian nationalism
  • Eden disliked Nasser’s hostility to the Baghdad Pact and was worried about his growing involvement with Russia
44
Q

Describe the short-term damage to Britain as a result of the Suez Crisis

A
  • Strained relationship with US and France
  • Resignation of Eden
  • Blockage of Suez Canal (until April 1957)
  • Reductions in oil exports to Western Europe, petrol rationing
45
Q

Describe the long-term damage to Britain as a result of the Suez Crisis

A
  • Imperialism abandoned as a long-term policy
  • Arab nations depend more on the USSR
  • Globalisation of the Cold War
  • Deflected attention from Soviet takeover of Hungary
46
Q

Describe the changes to British foreign policy witnessed during the Suez Crisis

A
  • US was ignored
  • Lack of professionalism, very naive
  • Took little care of international opinion
  • Existing pacts with Arab States put at risk
47
Q

Describe the evidence of continuity in British foreign policy after the Suez Crisis

A
  • Britain continued with nuclear strategy
  • 3 circles - Europe, US and Empire
  • ‘Special relationship’ with US repaired
  • Britain continued to lead Commonwealth
  • Britain applied to EEC in 1961
48
Q

Describe the failings of Labour economic policy

A

Promised no tax increases right before 1959 election, accused of trying to buy electorate

July to September 1951, gold and dollar reserve deficit = $638 million

49
Q

Describe Labour leadership

A

Atlee dim and out of date

Gaitskill hard headed and ‘lacked… flair’

50
Q

Describe Conservative position on homosexuality

A

1957 Wolfenden Commission recommends the decriminalisation of homosexuality

Not acted on by government

51
Q

Describe Conservative social expenditure

A

Social service expenditure (as a % of public expenditure) goes from 39 in 1951 to 43% in 1955

52
Q

Describe how the Suez Crisis started

A
  • British troops withdraw from Egypt as planned
  • US and UK withdraw financial aid to Aswan High Dam project
  • Suez Canal is nationalised by Egypt to fund the Aswan High Dam
  • UK ask Nasser to withdraw in return for shares in the canal company but he rejects
53
Q

Describe British involvement in Suez

A
  • The Sevres Protocol - Israel will invade Egypt to allow Britain and France to take the canal as an act of intervention
  • Eden lies to parliament and denies collusion with Israel
  • UK invades 20 miles of the Canal zone, bombing Cairo suburbs with 1,000 casualties
54
Q

Describe how the Suez Crisis came to an end

A
  • Britain forced to withdraw following a run on the pound
  • Replaced by a UN peacekeeping force
55
Q

Describe the relationship between Britain and the Commonwealth

A
  • 1940, Indian and Burmese independence
  • 1949, Crown and republican dominions may now join the Commonwealth
  • 1957, Ghana becomes first black republic in the commonwealth
  • 1960, Macmillan delivers ‘Winds of Change’ speech in South Africa
56
Q

Describe early British disinterest in Europe

A
  • 1950, Britain does not join Schuman talks to set up ECSC
  • 1951, ECSC set up and Britain does not join
  • 1952, Britain does not join European Defence Community or contribute to Stratsbourg Plan
  • 1953, Britain turns down oppurtunity to join ECSC
  • 1955, Britain withdraws from Messina talks. ECSC becomes the EEC.
  • 1958, EFTA is formed
57
Q

Describe later British interest in Europe

A
  • 1957, Macmillan appointed two pro-European Ministers to the Treasury and board of Trade
  • 1960, Macmillan promotes a pro-European to cabinet and includes joining the EEC in his Grand Design memo
  • 1961, Britain applies to join the EEC
  • 1963, Britain’s application is vetoed by French President DeGaulle
58
Q

Describe how Britain’s involvement in the Cold War increased tensions

A
  • 1952, Britain tests its first atomic bomb
  • 1953, Bermuda Talks. Eisenhower is impatient with Churchill.
  • 1956, Khrushchev and Bulgarin’s visit to Britain is overshadowed by the Crabb Incident
  • 1960, Paris Summit finally happens but is overshadowed by the shooting down of a US spy plane in Soviet airspace
59
Q

Describe how Britain’s involvement in the Cold War decreased tensions up to 1957

A
  • 1954, Geneva Summit has Anglo-soviet chairmen
  • 1955, British and Soviet warships exchange visits. Eden helps to resolve issues of French colonial control is SE Asia and over the rearming of West Germany.
  • 1957, Macmillan and Eisenhower build on their wartime friendship
60
Q

Describe how Britain’s involvement in the Cold War decreased tensions after 1957

A
  • 1959, Macmillan visits Moscow
  • 1963, Test Ban Treaty
  • 1964, Douglas-Home refuses to send British troops to support the US in Vietnam
61
Q

Describe how Conservative structural reorganisation helped the Tories win in 1951

A
  • 1946, Lord Woolton appointed Chairman of the Conservative Party
  • Membership increased by 1 mill + 1945 to 1948
  • Raised over 1 million pounds
  • Appointed more full time party agents
  • Committee on Party Organisation suggest limiting personal contributions to party funds to make party more democratic and this is acted upon
  • Young Conservative movement started 1946
62
Q

Describe how policy development and propaganda helped the Tories win in 1951

A
  • Young reformers such as Powell, Macleod and Maudling
  • Industrial Charter 1947 indicated support for welfare state, full employment and mixed economy
  • 1949, ‘The Right Road for Britain’ lays out more aims
63
Q

Describe how the Cold War helped the Conservatives win in 1951

A
  • Conservatives compared Labour’s socialism to that of the USSR
  • Capitalism became more popular internationally
64
Q

Describe how Labour’s handling of the economy helped the Tories win in 1951

A
  • Suspended contributions to Marshall Aid
  • Poorly handled 1947 economic crisis
  • 1951, agreed to an additional £4,700 million for the armed services over the next 3 years
  • July to Sept 1951, gold and dollar reserve deficit reaches $638 million
65
Q

Describe how Labour’s association with austerity helped the Tories win in 1951

A
  • Clothes remained rationed until 1949
  • Rationing of basic foodstuffs continued until 1950
  • Government encouraged the eating of whale meat and snoek
66
Q

Describe how Labour failures helped the Tories win in 1951

A
  • Fighting between ‘consolidationists’ (more modern) and ‘expansionists’ (a continued commitment to socialism)
  • Bevan called the Tories ‘lower than vermin’ in a speech that faced backlash
  • 1950, ‘Let Us Win Through Together’ seemed backward looking
  • 1951 manifesto failed to mention nationalisation or socialism
67
Q

Describe how Conservative election pledges helped the Tories win in 1951

A
  • Took on many of Labour’s more popular policies
  • 1950 and 1951 manifestos were cohesive
  • Denationalisation of road haulage and iron and steel
  • Pledged to build 300,000 new homes a year
68
Q

Describe how divisions within the Labour party helped the Tories win in 1951

A
  • 1951, Gaitskill proposed charges for dentures, spectacles and prescriptions to cover the cost of the Korean War
  • This would only make up £13 million of the required £400 million
  • Bevan, Wilson and Freeman resigned in protest
69
Q

Describe how changes to constituencies boundaries helped the Tories win in 1951

A
  • Accounted for about 30 seats lost by Labour
70
Q

Describe how the middle class vote helped the Tories win in 1951

A
  • Tired of austerity and high taxation
  • Particularly clear in the Home Counties and suburban London
71
Q

Describe how decline of the Liberal party helped the Tories win in 1951

A
  • Few liberal candidates
  • Constituencies with no liberal candidate, votes probably went to the conservatives
72
Q

Describe Churchill’s commitment to the post-war consensus

A
  • ‘What we need is a period of steady, stable administration’
  • Moderate politics that largely continued previous policy
73
Q

Describe the 1955 election campaign

A
  • ‘Conservative freedom works’
  • Eden seemed youthful
  • The first TV election
74
Q

Describe the results of the 1955 election

A
  • Easy win by the Conservatives
  • Government majority of 58
  • Only 76.7% turnout
75
Q

Describe by-election problems 1957-58

A
  • Suez Crisis
  • By summer 1958, the Conservatives had lost 4 seats, 2 to Labour and 2 to the Liberals
76
Q

Describe Macmillan’s indifference to political crisis

A
  • Jan 1958, Thorneycroft and whole Treasury team resign over public expenditure cuts
  • ‘a little local difficulty’
  • Night of the Long Knives
77
Q

Describe Macmillan’s control of the commons

A
  • Effective and confident debator
  • Labour were much weaker and failed to exploit weaknesses
78
Q

Describe opinion polls in the lead up to the 1959 election

A
  • Conservatives had a small but steady lead
  • Much closer than in 1955
79
Q

Describe the Conservative 1959 election campaign

A
  • ‘Life is better under the Conservatives’
  • Highlighted Macmillan as a strong leader
  • Promised to double the standard of living within a generation
  • Macmillan and President Eisenhower have a TV discussion
80
Q

Describe Labour in the lead-up to the 1959 election

A
  • Last minute pledge not to increase the basic rate of income tax led to accusation of trying to buy the electorate
  • Professional TV broadcasts e.g those by Anthony Wedgwood Benn
81
Q

Describe the results of the 1959 election

A
  • Conservative majority of 100
82
Q

Describe the Liberal revival

A
  • 1961 and 62, the Liberals came 2nd in 8 by-elections
  • Did well in local elections
  • March 1962, won the Tory safe seat in Orpington, Kent
83
Q

Describe Night of the Long Knives

A
  • July 1962
  • Macmillan fired 1/3rd of his cabinet
  • Later admitted this he ‘made a great error’
  • Failed to improve the popularity of the party
84
Q

Describe the Vassal Affair

A
  • 1955, Macmillan had told the House of Commons there was no evidence Kim Philby was a spy
  • March 1963, Philby fled to Moscow to join Burgess and Maclean
  • Showed incompetence in high places
85
Q

Describe the Profumo Affair

A
  • Minister of War, Profumo, was involved with Keeler who was also sleeping with the Soviet Military Attache Ivanov
  • This was considered a security risk
  • Profumo denied this to the Conservative Chief Whip and the House of Commons in 1963
  • Macmillan accepted this without any investigation
  • Profumo eventually admitted he had lied and resigned
86
Q

Describe the resignation of Macmillan

A

Facing increasing criticism he resigned in October 1963

87
Q

Describe how the Tories became politically out of touch

A
  • 1955, over half of Eden’s cabinet and 20% of Tory backbenchers had been to Eton
  • Macmillan’s cabinet contained 9 Etonians
  • Douglas-Home’s cabinet contained 11 Etonians
  • 1961 Who’s Who, more than 1/3rd had been to independent schools
88
Q

Describe the problems in housing in the 1950’s

A
  • The war had destroyed over half a million homes
  • Construction of new homes had decreased to 70,000 a year
89
Q

Describe positives in housing

A
  • Reduced the building standards of council houses
  • Gave more government funding
  • 1945 to 1954, over 75% of all new dwellings were built by local authorities
  • By 1964, the Conservatives had built 1.7 million new houses
90
Q

Describe social services

A
  • 1951 to 1955, rose from 39.2% of public expenditure to 43%
  • From 1952, all primary school children were given a bottle of milk each day
91
Q

Describe the NHS

A
  • Introduced 20p prescription charge without public outcry
  • 1956 Guillebaud Committee report showed the NHS was efficients and cost effective
92
Q

Describe capital punishment

A
  • July 1955, Ruth Ellis was hanged for murder
  • Labour MP introduced a bill to end capital punishment in 1956
  • Was rejected by the House of Lords
93
Q

Describe positives in education

A

1947 to 1958, spending on education:
* Doubled in real terms
* Increased as a proportion of national income by 75%

94
Q

Describe negatives in education

A
  • 75-80% failed the 11+
  • By 1960, 2 of every 3 state educated 12 year olds attended a secondary modern
  • Over half of grammar school pupils were still in school at 17
  • Less than 10% of kids in Gateshead and Sunderland attended Grammar school compared to 40% in Westmoreland
  • Only 1.5% of children from the St Ann’s district (Nottingham) passed the 11+, compared to 60% in a nearby middle class district
95
Q

Describe negatives in higher education

A

1963, Robins Committee Report:
* Many countries were ahead of Britain
* Britain should aim for 50% more students by 1967 and 250% more by 1980

96
Q

Describe positives in higher education

A
  • 11 new uni’s created in the 60’s
  • By 1963, the University Grants Committee was paying out more than £30 million
  • Polytechnics were introduced
97
Q

Describe pre-election tax cuts

A
  • April 1955, £134 million tax cuts
  • 1959, income tax from 43% to 39%

History - Miss Wilde (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions