Britain Transformed Flashcards
Changing political + economic enviroment (23 cards)
Who dominated the British politics for over 200 years?
Conservatives and Liberals
How did the economic enviroment change politics? (2 points)
- Industrialisation increased trade union membership
- Labour party founded 1900
First labour Prime Minister?
Ramsay McDonald - 1924
Biggest challenge to governments around 1945?
Aftermath of World War 2 - massive reconstruction and demobilisation of soldiers.
Why was favouring Labour’s Clement Attlee over Conservative’s Winston Churchill a change in political landscape?
Attlee pursued moderate socialist policies
What did Attlee aim to do?
- Create full employment
- Create welfare state
- Provide free healthcare
What was period between 1945-79 referred as and why?
What - ‘consensus’years.
Why - both parties broadly agreed on economic policies.
When and why did consensus years end?
When - 1979 when Margaret Thatcher became PM.
Why - Disagreed if tackling inflation should be priority or full employment.
What 2 things happened by 1979? (hint - PM and Liberals. 2 points)
- Britain had first female prime minister
- Liberals had less than 2% of seats
When were the coalition governments?
1915-22 and 1931-45.
Why did George Dangerfield (in 1936) argue Liberals doomed to fail before WW1? (3 points)
Failure of liberalism to cope with:
- Trade union strikes
- Suffragette militancy
- Problems in Northern Ireland.
What did George Bernstein (in 1986) draw attention to about the failure of liberals?
Failed to adapt to more class-based voting habits (eg WC rejected as parlimentary candidates by liberals)
How would ‘New Liberalism’ change liberals position?
State intervention to support sick, poor, young and old, could have maintained votes from WC.
Why does Trevor Wilson (in 1966) argue liberals downfall was the war? (2 points)
- Liberals always disliked state intervention.
- Forced them to take illiberal measures such as economy controls, conscriptsions and rationing.
How did David Lloyd George lead to the downfall of liberals? (3 points)
- In favour of state intervention
- Seen as traitor by liberals despite being PM 1916.
- Liberal party split to support traditional Asquith as liberal leader.
What was the ‘Maurice debate’ in 1918? (hint - General Maurice + Asquith)
- General Maurice accused Lloyd George of lying to parliament about number of British troops on Western front.
- Asquith led attack on Lloyd George, failed to get rid of him as PM.
What was ‘Coupon Election’? (hint - conservatives + liberals)
Coupon - letter issued by Lloyd George and Conservative leader Andrew Bonar Law to parliamentary candidates supporting coalition.
Why did Conservatives and Liberals need each other?
Conservatives:
- Had not won since 1900
- Believed having prestige of of ‘man who won war’ would get them more votes
Liberals:
- Many liberals supported Asquith
What was the 1918 Representation of the People Act?
- All men over 21 had right to vote
- Allowed women over 30 to vote
Significance of women’s votes?
- Women made up 43% of votes
- Increased total voters from 7.7 million in 1910 to 21.4 million 1918.
Significance of working class’s votes?
- WC now made up 80% of voters
What did Tanner and Hart’s analysis of WC votes in 1918 say?
- WC majority only increased from 76% to 80% as it allowed men of all classes to vote
- WC votes split between the 3 parties.
