1964-70 Labour Government Flashcards
(12 cards)
Why was Wilson effective as PM?
-Voter age set to 18 in 1969
-End to the death penalty
-Contraception legalised
-Labour divisions mended
-Refused to send troops to Vietnam
-Held another election in 1966 which increase the win majority
-Made himself known as a man of the people
-Well educated and had a degree in economics
Why was Wilson less effective as PM?
-Wilson wasn’t comfortable with his own changes
-Home secretary was more responsible
-Divisions were mostly mended by Gaitskell’s death rather than Wilson’s own efforts
-Not sending troops to America may have been detrimental to the special relationship with America
-To what extent was his working class background a benefit?
What were the potential benefits of privatisation?
-Improved efficiency
-Would lead to a lack of political interference
-Short term view
-Shareholders
-Increases competition
-Government can raise value from sales
What were the disadvantages of privatisation?
-Natural monopoly
-Public interest
-Fragmentation of Industries
-Short-term effect on firms
What were Labour’s economic policies?
-Deflation
-National Plan created by DEA
-Devaluation
What were Labour’s economic strengths?
-Car ownership grew from 40% to 60%
-Growth in disposable income
-Steady reduction in National debt
What were Labour’s economic weaknesses?
-Competition was outperforming Britain (USA, West Germany, Japan)
-Deflation gave Labour an image of austerity
-Breakdown of relationship between and Labour and Trade Unions
-Had to deal with a huge deficit left by the Conservatives
-US pressure on foreign policy
What made devaluation successful and unsuccessful?
Successful:
-Exports made cheaper
Less Successful:
-Embarrassing Britain
-Inherited a £800 million deficit
What made deflation successful and unsuccessful?
Successful:
-Brings down inflation
-Allows gov to bring down National debt
Less Successful:
-Unpopular was it caused taxes to rise, leading to less spending
-Makes Labour’s reputation austerity
What made the National Plan successful and unsuccessful?
Successful:
-Provided funds for the modern industry
-Leads to extra success in 1966
Less Successful:
-Creates tension between Trade Unions
Why did Wilson lose the 1970 election?
He was far too complacent, believing Heath could not possibly win due to his 28% approve rate compared to Wilson’s 58%
What was ‘In Place of Strife’ and why did it fail?
It was legislation which would reduce the power of trade unions. It sought to use the law to deal with Industrial disputes and proposed mandatory ballots before strikes. This was obviously controversial so it never got passed.
