Final Flashcards
(76 cards)
1
Q
“Little Englandism”
A
- those who wanted self-contained state
- believed colonies and dominions would mature and become independent - like fruit would ripen then fall from the tree
- would have sense of loyalty to Britain because of shared institutions
- an English person who believes the best interests of Britain are served by attention to Britain itself, rather than to the concerns of the empire 1890-95
2
Q
Joseph Chamberlin
A
- eminent imperial politician
- liberal politician
- high opinion of Britain
- secretary of state for the colonies (1895-1903)
-He was best known as the leading imperialist of the day in Britain, first in the radical wing of the Liberal Party then in the Liberal Unionist alliance partner of the Conservative Party. - He was the chief advocate and supervisor of the Second Boer War (1899–1902)
- ## He believed that there was “work to be done” as Colonial Secretary, to expand the British Empire and reorder imperial trade and resources
3
Q
Social Darwinism
A
- Darwin’s science transformed to social Darwinism
- believed Britain had to achieve greater efficiency if going to survive
- to be civilized had to be imperial race
- imperialists also social reformers
- Darwinists argued British were degenerate - had to make more virtuous
4
Q
Carl Pierson
A
j
5
Q
Benjamin Kidd
A
- argued for reforms of education and nutrition
- make stronger and healthier youth - in turn makes more effective soldiers
- came to effect in Boer War
- hoped to address issues of health, virtue, fitness to make youth stronger and create imperialist race
6
Q
“White Man’s Burden”
A
- 1899 poem
- points out how Britain’s should take it up
- raise children and send them off
- knew consequences too - “hate of those you guard”
7
Q
George Hemdy
A
- children’s imperialist writer
- wrote 82 novels for children
- told young British full of initiative, enthusiasm, “pluck”
8
Q
Boer War
A
- two phases 1. 1880-81 2. 1899-92
- B take over Dutch control of Africa before Napoleon could
- B tried to annex and control Boer and southern regions (important for fuel stations on way to India)
- 1880 Boer declared independent - Transuaal
- B tried to stop this - didn’t want to set precedent that others could declare independence
- 1st leads to stalemate in “81” at Majuba Hill - allowed independence
- 2nd Boer war in 2 phases
- Oct 1899 - Feb 1900 - B routinely defeated - Boer using Guerrilla warfare - impossible to fight against
- Summer 1900-01
- B change tactics - round up women and children into concentration camps
- B then fight soldiers - destroy crops and livestock - difficult to maintain food and supplies for camps - get illness and malnutrition (not starving)
- peace brought May 1902
- At end B. realize cost and maintenance of empire is difficult to bear
- some politicians argue maintenance of empire is key to B.
- Maintain empire to keep B. strong
- in 1900 election turns to a unionist government
- objected to I. home rule
9
Q
Legacy of Boer War
A
- mechanized warfare
- implications of modern weaponry
- life Boer population with distaste for empire of Britain
- Belgian interest in Africa
- reinforced bloody mindedness
- diamond interest in Southern Africa
10
Q
Difference between late Victorian (1870-1901) and Edwardian (1901-1914) periods
A
- late victorian was angst driven
- edwardian was upbeat and optimistic
11
Q
Emmeline Pankhurst and daughter Christabel
A
- create women’s social and political union
- working class women included
- a British political activist and leader of the British suffragette movement who helped women win the right to vote
- In 1903, five years after her husband died, Pankhurst founded the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), an all-women suffrage advocacy organisation dedicated to “deeds, not words.” The group identified as independent from – and often in opposition to – political parties. It became known for physical confrontations: its members smashed windows and assaulted police officers. Pankhurst, her daughters, and other WSPU activists were sentenced to repeated prison sentences, where they staged hunger strikes to secure better conditions.
12
Q
Suffrage Movement
A
- 1905 becomes more radical - interrupt political meetings and demonstrations
- vocal political marches
- eve of WWI smash windows on high streets of London
- assault MPs on way to Parliament
- those violent thrown in jail
13
Q
“Busman’s Holiday”
A
- Working class couldn’t get holiday time
- Sundays not for church, but family and friends
- taking bus / coach to seaside for holiday
14
Q
Football Culture
A
- medieval village sport
- revived in 1860s by upper class
- how upper/working class could exercise
- 1880s formation of clubs - some professional - often from work places / unions
- unions = Manchester United, Sheffield United, etc
- created local pride and rivalry and source of identity
- provided a change from dismal industrial life
15
Q
Ulster
A
- The north of Ireland
- Presbyterian/Scottish background
- one of the three nationalistic and cultural divisions
- throughout 19th c. these different intensified by economic change
- Ulster industrialized in Belfast, while South and West underwent agricultural disaster
- by 1914 chief road block to home rule is in and around ulster:
- counties in north have majority protestant
- in non-catholic regions they rejected home rule because would cut them off from E. parliament
- argue shouldn’t be deprived of their parliament and UK citizenship - lead by Edward Carson (one of the creators of Ulster Unionist Council)
- argued in face of home rule would create own provisional gov and ignore home rule
16
Q
Eastern Ireland
A
- English Protestant perspective
- predominance of violence in these regions
- nationalistic
17
Q
Western Ireland
A
- Irish Catholic
- Predominance of violence in these regions
- nationalistic
18
Q
Sectarian Violence
A
- politicians couldn’t resolve it
- usually followed Nationalist movements
- 1874 when home rule league - violence surrounded those who supported and opposed it
- 1898 United Ireland League
- organizations who sought protection in violence also existed
- fear motivated much of the politics (Ireland)
- organizations sprung up to protect their regions (Ulster defence unit) (Irish socialist republican party by James Conolly)
- 1902 Sinn Fein: to protect Irish Nationalist
- Insured politics remained at best unstable and at worst violent
- B. politicians recognized this fact
- spent time agonizing over I. politics
- Parliament in London sought to use legislation to fix I. political issues - helpless in bringing peace
19
Q
Tariff Reform Program
A
3 main components
1. challenge question of protectionism
2. re-emphasize old colonial system: create protectionist measures to ensure colonial trade - challenge principle of free trade
- saw tariffs as way to pay for domestic reforms
PROBLEMS:
- splits unionist government
- 1906 people vote unionist government out because of tariff reform
- people objected to social measures as well i.e. education
- people disliked tariff reform
- B. disliked idea of _____ policies dictating domestic reform
20
Q
New Deal Years (for Britain)
A
- 1906: liberal government elected for Britain
- 1906-1912
- tried to establish system of today’s “welfare state” :
- a social safety net
- protect less fortunate in society through government
- realized charity not enough to help poor
- has whole set of legislative plans in mind
21
Q
Free Meals Act
A
- 1907
- Part of the new deal year’s legislation
- provided free school meals
- insured children fed at least once a day
22
Q
Old Age Pensions
A
- 1908
- part of the new deal year’s legislation
23
Q
National Insurance
A
- 1911
- part of the new deal year’s legislation
- like E.I
24
Q
“People’s Budget”
A
- 1909
- a product of then British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith’s Liberal government, introducing unprecedented taxes on the wealthy in Britain and radical social welfare programmes to the country’s policies
- It was championed by Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George and his strong ally Winston Churchill
- said it would eliminate poverty
25
Lloyd George
- thought to pay for reforms - paid for by employers, employed and state
- As Chancellor of the Exchequer (1908–1915), Lloyd George was a key figure in the introduction of many reforms which laid the foundations of the modern welfare state.
- His most important role came as the highly energetic Prime Minister of the Wartime Coalition Government (1916–22), during and immediately after the First World War. He was a major player at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 that reordered Europe after the defeat of Germany in the Great War
- post-war role in reshaping Europe and his partitioning Ireland
- Prime Minister 1916-1922
26
Parliament Act
- December 1909
- in 1909 after George's budget went to parliament they threw it out
- Following the rejection of the 1909 budget, the House of Commons sought to establish its formal dominance over the House of Lords, who had broken convention in opposing the Bill. The budget was eventually passed by the Lords after the Commons' democratic mandate was confirmed by holding elections in January 1910. The following Parliament Act, which looked to prevent a recurrence of the budget problems, was also widely opposed in the Lords and cross-party discussion failed, particularly because of the proposed Act's applicability to passing an Irish home rule bill. After a second general election in December, the Act was passed with the support of the monarch, George V, who threatened to create sufficient Liberal peers to overcome the present Conservative majority.
- The Act effectively removed the right of the Lords to veto money bills completely, and replaced a right of veto over other public bills with a maximum delay of two years. It also reduced the maximum term of a parliament from seven years to five.
- passed in 1911
1. MPs paid 400 pounds per year
2. house of lords could no longer veto money bills - could question it, but only for 2 years
- as a result B. owed debt of gratitude to Ireland Nationalists
27
Constitutional Crisis of 1911
- last time Britain constitution radically reformed
- B. constitution not as durable as assumed (proven by Ireland)
- Until 1908 nothing serious put B. at risk - but I. and constitution itself do
- Background: - started in 1908 with Lloyd George's budget - created a super tax for truly wealthy
- Lloyd's budget targets aristocracy: saw as challenge to wealth and status / lords saw budget as a challenge and outright rejected it
- second time around it passed in house of commons but lords again reject it
- creates constitutional problems - realize it might be a breaking point - did lords have right to interfere? technically no
- lords argued it was more than a budget - the budget was a bill for social and cultural change with financial clauses
- argued if house of commons could push it through financial issue, why not Ireland home rule? - threat
- argued the lords were using their power to keep Parliament in check
- concern 1908 - on
- most problematic was budget's cost
- under liberal govt the policies of reform cost - taxation
28
Navy Act
- 1909
- imposed because of German threat
- called for four Dreadnousht ships
- cost 2 million pounds each
- could either pay for old age pension or for battle ships
- by 1914 government spending 12.4 million pounds on old age pension, but 51 million on battle ships
- implications: social policy - liberals focus on opposition (aristocratic) - sought to raise money not so much from consumer but from private income
- could be said liberals already won this argument
- argument is more complex than first appears: powerful economic elements too - attacks wealth than commoners
- constitutional conundrum of crisis - lords routinely acted to protect their interests
- quickly became clear constitutional history flew off shelves of conflict between house of commons and lords
- no one doubted lords should intervene, but can they stand off a whole budget? - no
29
Gallipoli
- base
- ideal place for force to place themselves
- Hamilton
- turning into war of trenches and stalemate
- between turks and Australians and Britain
- Turks not fighting just for homeland, fighting for their faith as well
- by summer ally ships still hadn't moved
- in November thought was a waste of men - began to leave - got little further than beach head
- this proved onset of first world war
30
Lucitania
- 1915 Germany declared civilian passenger ships could be shot without warning - it would have to be a total war
- May 1, 1915 Lucitania set sail for America
- 2000 passengers and crew
- May 6th captain had warning of u-boats
- the ship hit and sank
- 1200 people drowned
- showed that now everyone was a target
31
"Little Folks"
- Children exposed to war because of total war
- not only by bombs and attacks
- tools of propaganda
- taught to hate in nursery rhymes
- Little Folks was a magazine
- children as young as three would be exposed to propaganda
32
"Little American"
- a film
- attack on neutrality of US
- used for propaganda
- The Little American is a 1917 American silent romantic war drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The film stars Mary Pickford (who also served as producer) as an American woman who is in love with both a German and a French soldier during World War I.
33
People vs. Peels election
- when king was asked to dissolve parliament and call an election
- january 1910
- key issues = budget and liberal social reform policy
- George spoke scornfully of them - "no credentials" needed to be a lord, just birth
- trying to create "single chamber gov"
- results disappointing for everyone
275 Liberals
273 Conservative
82 Irish Nationalists (they want home rule and help create majority)
40 Labour party (emergence of middle class)
- liberal position upheld - Irish and labour supported budget / but could no longer act alone / had to agree to future Irish home rule
- immediately pushed budget again - house of commons passed with ease - house of lords passes it top because realize their position
34
Parliament Bill
- produced by liberals
- to render House of Lords permanently
- allowed to delay financial matters for 1 month
- others for 2 years could be argued
- had to be approved by house of commons for 3 consecutive times and then didn't even need house of lords approval
- parliament have elections every 5 years instead of 7
35
King George V (fifth)
- king after Edward dies in spring 1910
| - he asks leaders of liberal and conservative parties to come up with mutual agreement on house of lords
36
Ditchers
- one of the two groups from the division of conservative party (implication of election and constitutional fight)
- those willing to fight until last ditch
- supported by Halsbury
- tension climaxed when ditchers terrorized parliament
- defeated on August 1910
37
Hedgers
- one of the two groups from the division of conservative party (implication of election and constitutional fight)
- more realistic and knew change was coming and willing to hedge their bets
- 37 hedgers supported August 1910 motion
38
Home Rule Bill (1911)
- promised to irish nationalists for helping liberals
| - almost as indecisive as parliament bill and peoples budget
39
John Redmond
- leader of Irish Nationalist Party
- was an Irish nationalist politician, barrister, MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party from 1900 to 1918. He was a moderate, constitutional and conciliatory politician who attained the twin dominant objectives of his political life, party unity and finally in September 1914 achieving the promise of Irish Home Rule under an Act which granted an interim form of self-government to Ireland.
- tried to negotiate home rule on behalf of Ireland
- he rallied the irish to serve in the war - believed most effective way of getting british support
40
Ulster Covenant
- September 1912
- 1/2 million Irishmen sign to say will do all it can for ireland to stay a british isle
- would defend themselves - military units (violent overtones) - might require force - many in B. army said they wouldn't fight them
41
Curragh Mutiny
- The Curragh Incident of 20 March 1914, also known as the Curragh Mutiny, occurred in the Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland. The Curragh Camp was then the main base for the British Army in Ireland, which at the time formed part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, but was about to get a measure of devolved government, which included Ulster.
- With Irish Home Rule due to become law in 1914, the British Cabinet contemplated some kind of military action against the Ulster Volunteers who threatened to rebel against it. Many officers, especially those with Irish Protestant connections, of whom the most prominent was Hubert Gough, threatened to resign rather than obey, privately encouraged from London by senior officers like Henry Wilson. Although the Cabinet issued a document claiming that the issue had been a misunderstanding, the Secretary of State for War J.E.B. Seely and the CIGS (professional head of the Army) Sir John French were forced to resign after amending it to promise that the British Army would not be used against the Ulster loyalists.
- The event contributed both to unionist confidence, and to the growing Irish separatist movement, convincing Irish nationalists that they could not expect support from the British army in Ireland. In turn, this increased renewed nationalist support for paramilitary forces.
- made clear to all I and UK both on verge of civil war
42
Easter Rebellion (Sinn Fein)
- launch easter rebellion in Dublin
- Easter 1916
- victory of defeat not an issue
- it fails in a week
- by revolutionary nationalists
- majority of I saw rebellion as unacceptable and didn't join
- an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans to end British rule in Ireland, secede from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and establish an independent Irish Republic while the United Kingdom was heavily engaged in World War I. It was the most significant uprising in Ireland since the rebellion of 1798.
- in aftermath of rebellion Lloyd meets with ____
- create a compromise
- Redmond and Carson: ulster be home ruled and ulster exception
- stopped by conservatives
- in wake of rebellion Sinn Fein gained huge support in Ireland - pledged to sit in Irish parliament in Dublin - no more irish voice in london
43
Black and Tans
- special force to help police
- how government intervened
- engage in some tactics or IRA
- ignored rules of warfare - took hostages
- a force of Temporary Constables recruited to assist the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) during the Irish War of Independence
- The nickname "Black and Tans" arose from the colours of the improvised uniforms they initially wore, composed of mixed khaki British Army and rifle green RIC uniform parts.
- The Black and Tans became infamous for their attacks on civilians and civilian property.
- Due to the ferocity of the Tans' behaviour in Ireland and the atrocities committed, feelings continue to run high regarding their actions. "Black and Tan" or "Tan" remains a pejorative term for the British in Ireland, and they are still despised by many in Ireland. The term can still stir bad reactions because of their remembered brutality
44
New Home Rule Act in 1920
- allows two Irish Parliaments
- one for Ulster and Irish free state
- Have authority over daily life
- B. still responsible for defence, currency, and tariff policy
- I limited representation in B parliament
45
The Slump
- The Great Depression
- occurred after WW1
- The Great Depression in the United Kingdom, also known as the Great Slump, was a period of national economic downturn in the 1930s, which had its origins in the global Great Depression. It was Britain's largest and most profound economic depression of the 20th century
- Particularly hardest hit by economic problems were the industrial and mining areas in the north of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
- Unemployment reached 70% in some areas at the start of the 1930s (with more than 3 million out of work nationally) and many families depended entirely on payments from local government known as the dole. Politically the Conservative Party dominated the era and the Labour Party was seriously hurt.
- Following the end of the Second World War, the majority of the British people, and particularly the working class and returning servicemen and women, did not want a return to pre-war Conservative economic policies, which they blamed for the hardship of the 1930s, and there was a mood for widespread social change. At the 1945 general election, to the surprise of many observers, Winston Churchill was defeated by the Labour Party headed by Clement Attlee.
46
Winston Churchill
- churchill was a soldier and wanted to fight everywhere
- history became his personal religion
- never saw purpose of silence and got into politics: learned art of public speaking in industrial North where had to earn cheers
- churchill was radical and accused of recklessness during Gallipoli and WW2
- For churchill, Chamberlains appeasement for Hitler is politic's biggest downfall
- he was mistrusted by majority of his party, but was given old job back
- he never had any doubts that the war was worth the money - he was right
- thought he may have faltered at times, his courage and will were inspirational
47
Period of Affluence
- the state of having a great deal of money; wealth.
- B went from prosperity to affluence
- 3 themes: welfare state; social and economical repercussions of war; decline of great power state/status
- 1950s - 1970s
- strong economic growth (2.5 - 3% per year)
- consumer boom
- b output grew by 16/60%??
- new affluence diminished class differences: could purchase nice clothing now, style of "classless" came to B. (t-shirt and jeans), working/middle classes became more alike (leisure time at beaches), middle class could no longer afford servants, for many working class they could have homes and cars and holiday (domestic holidays)
- effects of affluent society = greater degree of equality
- where B. escaped anxieties
48
Labour Party
- in 1945 election they won with 393 votes
| - took over as a reformatory rather than revolutionary plan
49
PM Clement Attlee
- one of the four important figures running the labour party
- churchill called him "a sheep dressed in sheep's clothing"
- a British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955
- had most unique cabinet in british history
- began to nationalize things
- nationalized mining industry
- 1947 nationalized railways, docks, and trucking
- 1947 nationalized electricity
- 1948 gas
- 1949 iron and steel
- with exception of trucking and steel, most saw nationalizing as a good thing
50
Bevin
- one of the four important figures running the labour party
51
Herbert Morrison
- one of the four important figures running the labour party
52
Bevan
- one of the four important figures running the labour party
- most radical of the four
- he becomes linked to health
- NHS 1948
- helped produce NHS free for all
53
Welfare State
- Reconstructed by the labour party and Attlee
- nationalized number of industries, but not embarking on a revolutionary system
- deeply believed that equality of opportunity/assistance was crucial (but didn't prohibit private health/education)
54
National Insurance Act
- 1946
- was a contributory system - everyone pays in - like a tax/EI
- established a comprehensive system of social security throughout the United Kingdom. All persons of working age had to pay a weekly contribution and in return were entitled to a wide range of benefits, including Guardian’s (or Orphans) Allowances, Death Grants, Unemployment Benefit, Widow’s Benefits, Sickness Benefit, and Retirement Pension.
- There were some criticisms of the Act, such as the fact that married women and a number of self-employed workers were not included under the schemes
55
National Health Service Act
- 1946
- more complex
- doctor and people given option to opt into it
- by 1950 50% opted in
- reated the National Health Service in England and Wales. Though the title 'National Health Service' implies a single health service for the United Kingdom, in reality one NHS was created for England and Wales accountable to the Secretary of State for Health, with a separate NHS created for Scotland accountable to the Secretary of State for Scotland by the passage of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1947.
- helped by Bevan
- in old system only those in paid employment got insurance, not in new NHS - now unemployed and everyone covered
- swept away old system and gave every citizen free health care
56
Free Milk Act
- guaranteed no matter what social background would get milk between ages 5-18 everyday
57
Elizabeth II
- now queen in 1952
- thought would mark a new Elizabethan age
- affluence lasted until 1974/75
58
"Winds of Change"
- Prez Millian said this as he spoke to south africa in Feb 1960
- implied about national consciousness were sweeping away imperial B
- winds of change happening everywhere
59
British invasion
- success of Beatles and rolling stones show B. could also have an effect on culture
60
British Nationality Act
- allowed people to have rights of B. citizens upon arrival
- by 1951 black population doubled to 200 000
- 1961, 113 000 coloured immigrants arrived to B. - they didn't distribute evenly around B. - focused in London, Birmingham, Bradford
61
Race relations act
- banned racial discrimination, but it continued to exist
- 1965 and 1968
- outlawed barring entry to a person because of their skin colour to hotels, swimming pools and places of general public use, and created a rather weak Race Relations Board to investigate instances of discrimination, and the second made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of a person's colour in the vital areas of housing and employment
- 1968 2nd race relations act:
- genuine attempt to end racism
- make it illegal to discriminate on grounds of race
- Powell created sense of discontent and hatred
62
Rivers of Blood
- Enoch Powell's April 20, 1968 address to the General Meeting of the West Midlands Area Conservative Political Centre (commonly called "Rivers of Blood") was a speech criticising Commonwealth immigration, and anti-discrimination legislation that had been proposed in the United Kingdom.
- The speech caused a political storm, making Powell one of the most talked about, though divisive, politicians in the country, and leading to his controversial dismissal from the Shadow Cabinet by Conservative party leader Edward Heath. According to most accounts, the popularity of Powell's perspective on race may have played a decisive contributory factor in the Conservatives' surprise victory in the 1970 general election, and he became one of the most persistent rebels opposing the subsequent Heath government.
- Powell led to the expulsion of the conservative party
- within days unions who had been anti-turks supported Powell
- called for strikes and march to Parliament to support him
- showed fear of working class of immigrants getting jobs
63
Uganda
- 1972
- 101 Amin
- he evicted people of Indian ethnicity from Uganda
- they had the right to live in B
- intensified objection - conservative party - enoch powell
64
Divorce Reform Act
- 1961
- reform nature of divorce in B
- if marriage fails, all required to get divorce - no violence/infidelity
- made it equal to men and women
- In 1969, Parliament passed the Divorce Reform Act, which was supposedly based on the principle that the fact that a marriage had irretrievably broken down should be a sufficient and exhaustive ground for divorce.
65
Matrimonial Property Act
- 1970
- recognizes women's contribution to martial property
- not just money, but in kind - because women works int the home/maintains it gives her right to claim assets in it - more liberal
66
Equal Pay Act
- 1970
| - established principle of equal pay for equal work
67
Teddy Boys
- Edwardian style clothing
- returning to early 20th c.
- organized in gangs but dressed in suits
- 1950s
68
Mods
- 1960s
- The WHO
- thin ties
- green trench coats
69
Rockers/Bikers
- jeans and white t-shirts
70
Hippies
- 1960s
- miniskirt and hotpants
- boutiques in london - Carnby st.
- like Austin Powers
71
Skin Heads/ Punk
- 1970s
| -
72
Permissiveness Culture
- slow but long decline of Anglican Church - permissiveness took it's place
- aristocracy have always been able to do what they want
1. expansion of universities
- thousands of youth moved away from home and parents
- more permissive
- accelerated pace of social change
2. improvement and spread in readily availability in contraception
- the pill in 1960s
- major impact of social behaviour
3. affluence
- gave freedom
- consequences of permissiveness: violence, drugs, immorality
73
Energy Crisis
- 1973 oil producing nations increase price of fuel
- hit B. badly
- OPAC and energy crisis make 1973 hard year
74
Stagflation
- by late 1970s B. economy did impossible - stagflation
- condition where economic growth was stagnant
- unemployment rises
- create atmosphere of crisis
- everyone accusing each other
75
Coal Miners Strike
- 1972
| - costs Heath his job and Wilson comes to power (1974-76)
76
Winter of Discontent
- inflation racked economy
- by 1979 thought German worker was twice as efficient as a British one
- industrial disease/post-industrial state
- number of unemployed 1.3 million in 1979
- 3 million in 1983?
- unions begin striking winter of 1978-1979
- truck/ ambulance drivers
- water workers
- gov then tried to impose 5% cap on wage increase
- garbage trucks and grave diggers on strike
- there were widespread strikes by public sector trade unions demanding larger pay rises, following the ongoing pay caps of the Labour Party government led by James Callaghan against Trades Union Congress opposition to control inflation, during the coldest winter for 16 years.
- The strikes were a result of the Labour government's attempt to control inflation by a forced departure from their social contract with the unions by imposing rules on the public sector that pay rises be kept below 5%, to control inflation in itself and as an example to the private sector
- brought an abrupt end to labour party
