A changing political landscape 1929-1931 (T1) Flashcards

1
Q

What happened in the 1929 election?

A

MacDonald returned to power.

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

What were the social reforms MacDonald put in?

A
  • The 1930 Housing Act
  • The Coal Mines Act of 1930
  • Unemployment Insurance Act
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What was the 1930 Housing Act?

A

Cleared three-quarters of a million slum houses and replaced them with modern homes by 1939.

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

What was the Coal Mines Act 1930?

A

Attempted to ensure better pay for workers and more efficient pits.

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

What was the downside to the Coal Mines Act 1930?

A

The weakness of the legislation ensured that the mine owners could ignore it.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What was the Unemployment Insurance Act?

A

Gave the government powers to create public works schemes to alleviate unemployment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How much was funded to the Unemployment Insurance Act?

A

£25 million of government money

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What happened in Summer 1931?

A

In summer 1931 there were rumours that the forthcoming budget would be unbalanced.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What did this unbalanced budget mean?

A

Meaning that the government had plans to spend more than it could afford.

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

What would this increased spending mean?

A

Led to an increase in borrowing.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What did banks in America do?

A

Engaged in panic selling of the pound, exchanging it for other currencies.

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

What did this panic selling do to the pound?

A

Led to the pound slumping in value.

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

What did the government do to fix this economic problem?

A

Proposed spending cuts and tax hikes, introduction to a 10% cut in unemployment assistance.

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

What would these measures do?

A

Would keep the value of the pound stable, but caused hardship for Britain’s poorest.

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

What did this threat do?

A

Split the Labour Party and MacDonald’s cabinet, leading the government to resign on 24 August 1931.

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

How did the National Government form?

A

After negotiating with the other main political parties, and at the urging of King George V, MacDonald formed the National Government.

17
Q

What was the National Government?

A

Formed of the three main political parties with MacDonald as PM.