1951 - 64 Flashcards
(132 cards)
1
Q
THE 1955 GENERAL ELECTION
What percentage of the vote did the Conservatives win?
A
49.7%
2
Q
THE 1955 GENERAL ELECTION
Did the Conservatives gain or lose votes?
A
Gain!
3
Q
THE 1955 GENERAL ELECTION
Why was it striking that the Conservatives gained votes?
A
For the first time in 90 years the party in power managed to increase it’s majority
4
Q
THE 1955 GENERAL ELECTION
Give five reasons why the Conservatives managed to increase their seats
A
- Sixpence off income tax, rising prosperity
- Eden appeared young and popular in comparison to Labour and Attlee
- The gov had enjoyed four years of “quiet, public success”
- The end of rationing and expansion of social services
- Upbeat national mood: coronation and the ashes
5
Q
EDEN
What was Eden’s key trait that led to his political downfall?
A
Anti-appeasement
6
Q
CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS
Describe the Vassal inquiry of 1963
A
- Vassal was a homosexual soviet spy linked with some junior ministers
- Gov obliged to appoint investigator
- Rumoured that senior administration were trying to protect him
7
Q
CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS
What did the Vassal inquiry show?
A
The government was losing control of its own departments
8
Q
CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS
Describe the Philby scandal
A
- A senior official in the foreign office
- Passing info to the USSR for decades
- Government failing to spot traitors in the heart of the establishment
9
Q
CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS
Describe the Argyll divorce case
A
- Duke of Argyll publicly divorced his wife on the grounds of adultery
- He published a list of men she had been sleeping with… this included cabinet ministers
10
Q
CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS
Describe the Profumo affair
A
- Minister for war had an affair with Christine Keeler, an upper class prostitute
- She was also sleeping with a member of the Soviet embassy
- Posed a risk to national security
- Profumo swore to Macmillan that nothing happened
11
Q
CONSERVATIVE SCANDALS
What was the impact of these scandals?
A
Macmillan appeared to be losing political grip over his party
Published not only in tabloids but also the times
Conservatives weakened it’s claim to lead the nation
Macmillan’s government appeared ridiculous and laughable
Immoral
12
Q
THE DECLINE OF THE BE
By 1951 what had happened?
A
Pressure of colonial movements became harder to contain
13
Q
THE DECLINE OF THE BE
Describe the Mau Mau rebellion
A
A revolt in Kenya, revelations of Brutal captive treatment damaged Britain’s reputation, after Suez politicians realised they could no longer hold onto colonies, rebellion shut down much more slowly
14
Q
THE DECLINE OF THE BE
Describe Macmillan’s winds of change speech
A
Cape town 1960; highlighted a change in policy, calling for decolonization and recognition of idependence movements
15
Q
THE DECLINE OF THE BE
What was Britain’s imperial policy before the Suez crisis?
A
To defeat nationalist revolts and keep control over Britain’s African colonies
16
Q
THE DECLINE OF THE BE
Was there any domestic opposition to loss of Empire?
A
No
17
Q
THE DECLINE OF THE BE
How many colonies were lost between 57 - 64?
A
20, including Ghana, Nigeria and Cyprus
18
Q
THE DECLINE OF THE BE
How well carried out was Britain’s decolonization?
A
Compared to other European powers, the process of decolonization was carried out relatively well
19
Q
1951 ELECTION
How many constituencies makes up Britain?
A
650
20
Q
1951 ELECTION
What percentage of the vote did the Conservatives win in 1951?
A
48% (less than Labour)
21
Q
1951 ELECTION
What did the Conservatives enter office promising?
A
A period of “calm consolidation”, that they would not reverse the welfare state and to end rationing whilst building more houses
22
Q
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
What was Churchill’s political outlook when he became PM
A
Cautious, conciliatory and undogmatic
23
Q
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
Did the Conservatives support the welfare state?
A
Yes :)
24
Q
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
Define post war consensus
A
When there is a great deal of agreement between both parties
25
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
| What were the parties in consensus about?
- Mixed economy
- NHS and welfare state
- A wish to ensure full employment
- Working with trade unions and employers
26
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
| What dates did rationing end?
1952 - many items stopped being rationed
1953 - the end of sugar rationing
1954 - the end of meat rationing
27
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
| When was the first atomic bomb detonated?
1952, operation hurricane
28
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
| What nuclear power did Britain become?
The third, after USA and USSR
29
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
| When did Queen Elizabeth take the throne?
The 2nd of June 1952
30
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
| Who has Rab Butler?
The Chancellor
31
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
| Describe Butskellism
Hugh Gaitskell and Rab Butler, a general agreement on the stop-go policies, growing consensus between parties
32
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
| Describe Macmillan's successes as housing minister
Exceeded their target by over half in 1953, a year ahead of schedule. He built 300,000 new homes.
33
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
| Describe the mixed economy
An economic system containing private and state enterprises
34
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
| What was the only industry denationalised under the Churchill government?
Steel
35
DOMESTIC POLICIES CHURCHILL
| When did the Korean war end and what was it's significance?
July 27 1953, reduced Britain's defence spending
36
1951 GENERAL ELECTION
| What was the balance of payments deficit in 1951?
£7,000,000
37
EDEN
| Give three facts about Eden
- Etonian
- Specialised in foreign policy
- Anti appeasement
38
MACMILLAN
| Was Macmillan more to the left or the right of the Conservative party?
The left, many believed he would have been Labour if not for the war
39
CONS FALL FROM POWER
| Describe the "big freeze"
A 10 week snow storm between 1953 - 54, temporary loss of power and heating
40
DOUGLAS-HOME
| Was Douglas-Home voted in as party leader?
No
41
DOUGLAS-HOME
| Why did the appointment of Douglas Home cause anger and frustration?
"Old boys/etonian network" and not an open leadership contest
42
DOUGLAS-HOME
| Name two key figures who refused to serve in the Douglas-Home cabinet
Enoch Powell and Iain Macleod
43
DOUGLAS-HOME
| What had Lord Home previously been?
Foreign secretary
44
DOUGLAS-HOME
| How did Home renounce his title?
The 1963 peerage act, became Sir Home
45
BRITAIN & EUROPE
| What was Europe like after WW2?
More of a move towards mutual co-operation, suspicious of Britain's "special relationship" with America
46
BRITAIN & EUROPE
| Give the name of the conference and treaty that helped set up the EEC
- International conference, Messina 1955
| - Treaty of Rome 1957
47
BRITAIN & EUROPE
| What countries were originally in the EEC?
France, Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg, Italy and the Netherlands
48
BRITAIN & EUROPE
| Describe the political character of the EEC
- Main countries were Germany and France
- Germany wanted to improve tarnished reputation
- Other countries joined to gain financially from Germany their "guilt ridden neighbour"
49
BRITAIN & EUROPE
| Why did Britain initially not join the EEC?
- Fatally undermine standing as a sovereign state
- Didn't want to jeopardize special relationship with America
- Germany and France lost the war, whereas Britain was a winner
50
BRITAIN & EUROPE
| Did the EEC grow in success?
Yes
51
BRITAIN & EUROPE
| In what year did the Macmillan government make an application?
1961
52
BRITAIN & EUROPE
| Why did Britain apply to join the EEC?
- To boost industrial production of the large scale export market
- Increase industrial efficiency
- Stimulate economic growth with the rapid expansion already seen in the EEC
- USA wanted to improve it's own relationship with Europe
53
BRITAIN & EUROPE
| Why did DeGaulle veto the British application?
Fear that he would lose influence if Britain joined
54
SUEZ
| Why was the Suez canal important to Britain?
- A trading route to middle east and commonwealth
- 80% of Europe's oil imports passed through the canal
- Britain heavily involved in running the canal and defended it through both world wars
55
SUEZ
| Why did the USA withdraw their offer of a loan to Nasser?
He was also approaching the Soviet bloc for money
56
SUEZ
| How and when did Nasser respond the USA's decision to withdraw their loan?
July 1956, Nasser announced he was going to nationalise the Suez canal as a way of raising funds
57
SUEZ
| Why were Britain furious about the nationalisation of the Suez canal?
Deeply hindered their political and economic position
58
SUEZ
| What initial steps were taken to try and denationalise the canal?
France, Britain and America created a "Canal Users Association"; Britain bought the matter to the UN which proved fruitless because the Soviets used their veto
59
SUEZ
| Why did Eden believe negotiations to be off the table?
He was anti-appeasement, believed Nasser to be another facist dictator
60
SUEZ
| What did Eden resultantly try and do?
He orchestrated a joint plan in October 1956 with France and secretly Israel. Israel would invade Egypt and Britain and France would then step in to mediate and seize control of the Suez canal
61
SUEZ
| Was Suez a success militairily?
Yes
62
SUEZ
| What followed Eden's plan in action?
- A storm of political protest in Britain
- Fury from the US president Eisenhower, with heavy financial pressure from the president
- Threats from the soviets (rocket strikes) if the British did not withdraw
63
SUEZ
| What other impacts did the Americans have?
Threatened to withdraw trade and financial help, refused to support an application for and IMF loan and suggested Britain should not be part of the UN peacekeeping force
64
SUEZ
| What were the four main reasons for withdrawal?
- The strength of opposition amongst the British people
- The fury of Americans for not being consulted
- Condemnation of the British at UN
- Failure to gain international backing
65
SUEZ
| What personal involvement did Eden have with the Suez crisis?
Anti-appeasement, saw Nasser as being anti-British, failed to hide his distaste for Nasser
66
SUEZ
| What was the significance of the Suez affair for Britain?
Post-war Britain could no longer act alone, they needed to work more closely with other European and global super powers
67
RELATIONSHIPS WITH US & USSR
| Who did Macmillan form a close relationship with?
Eisenhower and Kennedy
68
RELATIONSHIPS WITH US & USSR
| When was the Berlin Airlift?
1948 - 49
69
RELATIONSHIPS WITH US & USSR
| Describe the Korean war
Communist North invaded the South, UN sent out forces, Britain was the largest military contributor after America
70
:)
:)
71
ECONOMY
| Describe the post war boom
The global economy was booming, rising real wages ad exports increased by 29% in 1951
72
ECONOMY
| Describe the stop-go policy
Balance of payments deficit - government controls imposed - balance of payments surplus - controls removed - balance of payments deficit
73
ECONOMY
| What are the positives of stop-go economics?
- Steady rates of unemployment
| - Economy never hits an extreme high or an extreme low
74
ECONOMY
| What are the negatives of the stop-go policy?
- Failure to modernise the economy
| - Stuck in a postwar consensus
75
ECONOMY
| How much was given to Britain in Marshall loans?
$2.7 billion
76
ECONOMY
| What did the Suez crisis highlight?
Britain didn't have the money to act independently anymore, very much reliant on America
77
ECONOMY
| Describe budget politics
When politicians manipulate the stop go cycle during elections
78
ECONOMY
| What speech did Macmillan deliver in 1957?
The "never had it so good" speech
79
ECONOMY
| What did the government need to apply for in 1961?
An IMF loan
80
ECONOMY
| Were NEDDY and NICKY successful?
No...
81
ECONOMY
| When did the government reapply to the EEC?
1961
82
ECONOMY
| Describe the beeching report
A public expenditure cut, trains etc, extremely unpopular
83
ECONOMY
| What was the economic deficit in 1964?
£800 million
84
ECONOMY
| Describe the Thorneycroft economic crisis
Summer of 1957: high inflation, a run on the pound
85
ECONOMY
| Describe "the night of long knives"
A major cabinet reshuffle to hide the sacking of Selwyn Lloyd, Macmillan: "a little local difficulty"
86
ECONOMY
| Had Britain become more affluent?
Yes! Material quality of life improving, lower classes had opportunities their forbearers could not have dreamed of
87
ECONOMY
| What was the average rate of unemployment?
It fell from 12% to 2%
88
ECONOMY
| Did the British economy grow quicker or slower than the interwar period?
Quicker - 2.8%
89
ECONOMY
| Describe two improvements to living standards
- Infant mortality halved
| - Life expectancy rose on average 4 years
90
ECONOMY
| What was the most obvious indicator of increased affluence?
Consumption of more household goods: percentage of households owning washing machines increased from 7% to 66%, refrigerators increased from 3% to 66%
91
ECONOMY
| Name three states with higher GDP growth rates
Italy, W.Germany and France
92
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| Describe the rise in living standards
- A time of widespread affluence
- Conspicuous consumerism
- Ordinary people could now afford middleclass lifestyles
- Number of cars on the road increased from £2.5 million to £3.5 million
93
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| Describe the impacts of affluence and consumerism
- Disparity between the North and South
- More aspirations to a better lifestyle
- Golden age of social mobility
- 1/3 of children still had to leave school to contribute to the families income
94
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| Describe the impacts of affluence and consumerism
- Disparity between the North and South
- More aspirations to a better lifestyle
- Golden age of social mobility
- 1/3 of children still had to leave school to contribute to the families income
95
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| Describe social attitudes and tension
- Still deep class divisions, clothes, schools, accents etc
- People overly conscious of their status in society
- A simpler, less sophisticated society had become the norm
96
```
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
Describe class and the establishment
```
- British society remained overtly hierarchal
- Establishment was the leading politicians, church owners and aristocrats
- Oxbridge influence
- Hostility grew towards the establishment: emergence of political satire, beyond the fringe
97
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| Describe the position of women
- Attitudes remained fundamentally conservative
- The war had acted as catalyst for social change
- Female wages 2/3 of men's
- Women tended to work for "pin money" (smaller luxuries)
- Percentage of women in the workforce increased by 6%
- Tiny minority of female MPs
- "A woman's place is in the home"
98
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| Describe immigration
- Immigrants came from the New Commonwealth
- 5000 migrants had arrived by 1951
- RA Butler introduced the Commonwealth Immigration Bill in 1961
- End to the open door policy
- 100,000 immigrants from the Commonwealth by 1961
99
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| Define the Commonwealth Immigration Bill
This bill required immigrants to hold work permits or an employment voucher before entering the country
100
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| Describe racial prejudice and violence
- Racism a prevalent issue but not as pronounced as America
- Lots of colour based prejudice in different institutions
- The Notting hill Riots: racially motivated
101
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| When did national service end?
1960
102
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| Describe the "angry young men"
Coined by the times, novelists and dramatics who gave a voice to the youth
103
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| What did the youth enjoy?
Greater opportunities and affluence
104
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| Describe popular music for youths
- Music helped define generations
- "Black America" and "sexual freedom"
- Cliff Richards, Presley, Bill Haley and the beginnings of Beetlemania
- Rock was very popular
105
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| List four new comprehensive schools
N. Wales: 1954
S. London: 1956
Wales: 1958
N. London: 1959
106
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| What happened to war slums?
They were cleared up
107
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| Which holiday camp opened?
Butlins
108
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| What did Suez expose?
Blatant government lies
109
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| What improved the lives of women?
The introduction of labour saving devices
110
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
| What were the three teenage groups?
Rockers, mods and teddy boys
111
LABOUR REVIVAL
| Who succeeded Hugh Gaitskell when he died suddenly in 1963?
Harold Wilson :))
112
LABOUR REVIVAL
| Who did Harold Wilson beat in the Labour party elections?
George Brown and James Callaghan
113
LABOUR REVIVAL
| Which disagreements did Wilson bypass?
Clause IV and nationalisation
114
LABOUR REVIVAL
| What name did Wilson harness to his cause?
The name of science and technology
115
LABOUR REVIVAL
| What did Wilson call for?
A second industrial revolution: popular with the electorate
116
LABOUR REVIVAL
| What was Wilson particularly good at?
Manipulating the media: paired himself next to the young, progressive JFK
117
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| What happened to Labour under the Atlee government?
They carried out the whole of their policies, no new ideas
118
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| What was Labour regrouping hindered by?
The Conservatives adopting their policies from Labour's manifesto, meaning what could Labour actually offer
119
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| Why did the Conservatives gain some popularity?
For lifting rationing controls, increasing affluence
120
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| What was Labour yet to decide?
What type of party it actually was
121
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| What did the left of the party argue for?
Greater commitment to state control
122
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| What represented the lefts strand of thought?
The Bevantines
123
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| What were many of the left?
Unilaterists
124
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| Why were many of the left inilaterists?
They believed money shouldn't be spent on nuclear weapons but rather to state funding in order to help the poor
125
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| What movement became associated with Labour?
The CND movement
126
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| Why were Labour believed to hold a strong chance of winning the 1959 election?
First election to be held after Suez and the dipping of the economy
127
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| What was the Conservatives' election campaign in 1959?
"Britain has never had it so good", "Don't let Labour ruin it"
128
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| What did Labour hurriedly promise?
Increased state pension: this raised questions about financing
129
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| How did Gaitskell hinder the party in 1962?
He publicly declared he was against the application of the EEC. Hardly appeared progressive and forward thinking.
130
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| Give four reasons for Labour's defeat in 1956 and 1959
- Disagreements of the true character of the party
- Divisions over how far the party should push for socialist policies
- Split over issues of unilaterism
- Uncertainty over whether Britain should join the common market
131
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| What did Gaitskell want to steer away from?
Extreme socialist policies which he felt would alienate the party from the electorate
132
LABOUR IN OPPOSITION
| What did the Bevantine want?
Larger trade unions, resisted by Gaitskell
