Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

British History > changing party fortunes > Flashcards

changing party fortunes Flashcards

1
Q

who was the leading party before 1918?

A

liberal democrats

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

what did the liberal party believe in in 1918?

A

free trade

party for social reform

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

what happened to the liberal vote in 1918?

A

began to decline, middle class and working class stopped voting for them.

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

who was the leader of the liberal party from 1916-1922

A

Lloyd George

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

what was the reason for the liberal decline 1918?

A

1) Lloyd George was sellling peerages and knighthoods June 1922 - 1,500 knighthoods and hundreds of peerages
2) rise of the labour party
3) rise in popularity and appeal from lower classes to the conservative party.

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

labour party 1918?

A 
came from trade unions 
1918 representation of the people act made them popular
Ramsay Macdonald (1924) - pm, passed the housing act which increased the housing budget.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

why did popularity of the Macdonald governement change in 1924?

A

the motion of no confidence - was only narrowly one.
he was accused of having communist views by opposition which was a real fear of the public.
a secound motion of no confidence was passed and he resigned.

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

conservative party 1918?

A

the used to be seen as a party for the landed gentry, however after the war tried to appeal to the working class who wanted to better themselves through work.

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

signifigance of the october genral election 1924?

A

labour were damaged by a communist article in the paper
the lib dems vote declined by 12%
stanley baldwin eleceted.

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

stanley baldwin 1924-1929?

A

wanted to appeal to everyone as he was afraid of a class war.
he represented an end to the threat of communism
general strike in 1926

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

who replaced Baldwin in 1929?

A

Ramsay MacDonald.

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

what were the social reforms passed by Ramsay MacDonald during his second time as prime minister>

A

housing act 1930 - cleared 3/4 of slum houses
coal mines act 1930 - better pay and better working conditions
unemployment insurance act - provided public work schemes.

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

what economic problems did MacDonald face in 1931?

A

rummors of an unbalance budget, soreaded fear amongst American banks who had invested money in english banks, which meant they began exchanging the £ for other currencies, making the value of the £ go down.

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

what did fears of the unbalanced budget in 1931 cause MacDonald’s government to do?

A

they had to raise taxes and cut public spending. this including a 10% cut in unemployment assistence, which cause a divide within the labour party and leading to the resignation of Stanley Baldwin.

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

what signifigant change occured in politics during the post-war period?

A

1945 - a political consensus between all parties occured which involved:
a commitment to full employment
creation of a welfare state
mixed economy - regarding industry
creation of the NHS
communication between trade unions, governenment, industry regarding wages.
investment in defence

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

who won the 1945 election?

A

labour - clement Attlee

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what did labour achieve during the first 5 years regarding welfare post 1945?

A

established the NHS 1945
the national insurance act
the national assistance act
housing act 1949 - build affordable houses for all member’s of society.

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

reasons for the decline in the labour votes post 1945?

A

continuation of food rationing after the war e.g. bread

changing constituent boundaries = loss of labour safe seats.

inability to improve post-war austerity imediately

increased taxation to pay for welfare.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what does the term “butskellism” refer to?

A

the mixing of the labour and conservative chancellors, butler and gaitskell - to describe the overlapping or similar political views of conservartive and labour party.

20
Q

eden 1955-1957?

A

was fairly young
popular politician
1955 he held an election to see if he had a strong mandate and it showed his popularity.

21
Q

what was the suez crisis?

A

the “Suez” canal which ran through Egypt was used by britain to get to india when it was a colony. however when they gained independence in 1947 - the canal was used to transport oil. however Egypt PM wanted to have the canal belong to them and was willing to pay a fair price. france and eden planned a secret attack and did consult america. this caused issues and he was forced to resign.

22
Q

who was Eden replaced with?

A
  • Harold Macmillan who was his chancellor of the exchequer (1957-63)
23
Q

why was Harold Macmillan’s government popular?

A
  • he inherited a mixed economy, with rising living standards, low unemployment and declining social innequality which made him seem popular.
24
Q

what happened in the 1958 general election?

A

the conservatives increased their majority and got 49.4% of the vote

25
Q

who resigned from the conservative party in the late 50’s and why?

A
  • 1959
  • Chancellor Peter Thorneycroft
  • Nigel Birch
  • Enoch Powell
  • they all resigned due to them believing Macmillan’s government were spending too much and storing up economic problems for the future
26
Q

what did the men that resigned propose?

A
  • spending cuts
  • tax rises
  • and an end to subsidies to nationalised industries
27
Q

why was the resignation of the three conservative men resigning a problem for Macmillan?

A
  • it was an embarressment to the government

- but due to the period of low unemployment and inflation their exit had little impact of the public.

28
Q

what was the “night of long knives”?

A

1962

  • popularity of the cons were declining due to Macmillan’s and many other memeber’s up his party was upperclass and etonian backgrounds made the public percieve them as out of touch,
  • dramatic increase in consumer spending led to unforeseen economic issues
  • he need to look as though he was in control
  • sacked seven ministers and replaced them wiith young men
29
Q

how was Macmillan perceived by the public after the night of long knives?

A
  • initially ruthless

- but then he was seen as being capable of taking control and his sackings were popular by the public.

30
Q

why did the conservative party begin to be distrusted regarding national security?

A
  • at the height of the cold war, three high profile spy scandals rocked the gov
  • John Vassall = 1952 62 a naval attache at the British embassy in Moscow passed on top secret information to the soviets
  • Harold “Kim” Philby = 1963 Britain’s most senior intelligence agents was a double agent for russia.
  • John Profumo = 1963 6 months later; was having an affair with Cristine Keeler, who was also having a relationship with Soviet attache Yevgeny Ivanov
31
Q

what a when forced Macmillan to resign

?

A

ill health and mounting problems

  • 1963 he was replaced by Sir Alec Douglas home
  • he was ridiculed for his image represnting the etonian PM and the cons he was only pm for a year
32
Q

who replace Douglas-home

A
  • Harold Wilson 1964-70
    leader of the labs
  • he presented the party as meritocratic and classless.
  • the TV presented him as the modern face of Britian
33
Q

what happened in the 1964 general election?

A
  • labour won 44.1% of the vote

- cons won 43.3%

34
Q

what did Wilson and his Chancellor James Callaghan discover during their first few days of office?

A
  • £800 million budget deficit
  • left by the cons
  • economic problems were alot worse than they thought
  • he had promised to increase pensions and build houses however this left with an issue
35
Q

what did Wilson refuse to do which would of made paying off accumulated debts alot easier

A
  • devaluing the pound
  • he didnt want the lab party to be seen as the party of devaluation
  • however in 1967 he was forced to do so anyway leading to huge embarrassment leading to his resignation and he was replaced by Callaghan.
36
Q

what significant social and educational reforms did Wilson achieve in his 6 years ibn office

A

1964-70

  • a series of new universities and polytechnics were built
  • open university was established
  • laws on abortion and homosexuality and death penalty was liberalised.
37
Q

what was wilson’s achievements undermined by?

A
  • economic problems
  • his popularity declined as unemployment began to creep up at the end of the 60’s
  • number of days lost due to strikes increased.
38
Q

when was Heath pm?

A

1970-74

39
Q

what did Heath attempt to do?

A
  • bring about radical political change from 1970’s onward

- he wanted a break from the post war consensus and rejected commitment to full employment

40
Q

what was Heath forced to do in the first 18 months of taking office?

A
  • take a u-turn in policy and had to increase intervention in the economy over the next two years of his time in office
41
Q

what was Heath’s biggest problem in gov?

A
  • relationship with trade unions
  • ## 1974 heath’s gov endured two minor strikes and face critisism for opposition and his own party
42
Q

what group did Keith Joseph and Nicholas Ridley form>

A

“seldom group” 1970 due to them believing heath was a traitor, going back on what he promised at the seldom meeting - the group wanted free market policies and reducing state intervention.

43
Q

why did Heath declare a state of emergency?

A
  • because the minor’s second strike and the winter of discontent 1973-74 led to him calling a general election in 74
  • asking people “who runs Britain” he lost due to his inability to control the minors.
44
Q

when did Harold Wilson return to office?

A
  • 1974 - 79 after edward heath
  • optimism towards the labour party that existed in the 60’s was diminished
  • ## Wilson was older and had poor health and no longer possesed modernising qualities.
45
Q

what was the first priority of the third Wilson government ?`

A
  • end union unrest by reappealing to the industrial relations ac

British History (20 decks)

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