Post War Consensus

Question 1

Who was in government before Attlee?

Answer 1

Winston Churchill (Conservative)

Question 2

When was the Attlee Administration?

Answer 2

1945-1951

Question 3

What is an activist state?

Answer 3

Efforts made to promote and direct social, political, economic, environmental change.

Question 4

Why did Labour win 1945?

Answer 4

The war created an Activist state. The war time domestic agenda was brought in inspired by labour thinking.

Question 5

Why can the Attlee government be described as the Golden Age of Labour politics?

Answer 5

It was an active gov, that made great impact.

Question 6

What is Nationalization?

Answer 6

Increasing the size of the state by bringing into state ownership key public services.

Question 7

What public services did the Attlee administration nationalist under Mixed Economy pillar?

Answer 7

Coal, electricity, gas and rail. (Clause 4 of the Labour constitution)

Question 8

What was the aim of the Mixed Economy pillar?

Answer 8

To shift the balance between private and public sector, and increase the state which allowed gov to intervene and benefit the society.

Question 9

What % was unemployment not allowed to go above?

Answer 9

2-3%

Question 10

Who did the Trade Unions represent?

Answer 10

The unemployed.

Question 11

Who were the C PMs between 1951-64?

Answer 11

Churchill 1951-55
Eden 1955-57
Macmillan 1957-63
Home 1963-64

Question 12

What is Buttskelism?

Answer 12

Policy continuation between Rob Butler (C) and High Gaitskell (L)

Question 13

What process occurred between 1945-51 within the C party

Answer 13

Doctrinal Revisionism. C underwent a move towards centre ground and changed their policies to suit the electorate.

Question 14

Who were the classic one nation Cs?

Answer 14

Eden, MacMillan, Butler

Question 15

When was the age of affluence? and who was in gov?

Answer 15

1957-60. Macmillan era. (C)

Question 16

Name the factors that led to the age of affluence

Answer 16

Unemployment levels fell.
Consumer purchasing grew
Relative economic growth

Question 17

Who applied for the Common Market but was rejected?

Answer 17

Macmillan.

Question 18

Who took over government in 1964?

Answer 18

Harold Wilson (L)

Question 19

what policy changes happened under social liberalism?

Answer 19

The abolition of the death penalty 1965.
Legislation of homosexuality.
Liberalisation of abortion law. 
Divorce law.
All led to a more humane society.

Question 20

What did Wilson do in terms of social policy?

Answer 20

Increased family allowances and pensions.
Outlawed racial discrimination.
Established the open university.

Question 21

What failures by Harold raised issues whether labour were competent?

Answer 21

Failed to meet targets for national economic plans.

Place of Strife policy failed.

Question 22

What year did Heath take over from the L gov?

Answer 22

1970-74

Question 23

What did Heath want to do which made him similar to Thatcher?

Answer 23

Tried to challenge consensus politics. Wanted to reduce public expenditure and income taxes. Resist inflationary public sector pay demands. Increase competitiveness.

Question 24

What was the result of the 1974 election and what was it nicknamed?

Answer 24

‘Who governs Britain’ Hung parliament labour governed with no majority.

Question 25

What was the Social Contract?

Answer 25

An arrangement between TU and L gov that Tu would show restraint with wage demands, if Labour redistributed wealth and flatten out inequalities in society.

Question 26

The theory of post-war consensus tries to…

Answer 26

understand post war British politics.

Question 27

What does consensus imply?

Answer 27

A form of agreement. A degree of continuity between parties when they’re in gov.

Question 28

Who were the advocates of the Post War Consensus theory?

Answer 28

Kavanagh, Addison and Morris.

Question 29

What did Kavanagh and Morris argue?

Answer 29

That there was a framework of common assumptions about the role of the state and management of the economy. e.g Keynesian economics.

Question 30

Who were the sceptics of the theory?

Answer 30

Pimlott, and Kerr.

Question 31

What did Pimlott argue?

Answer 31

Idea of Consensus is retrospectively imposed upon the past. Its a myth.

Question 32

Labour were…

Answer 32

Socialists.

Question 33

Tories viewed society as a…

Answer 33

Hierarchy.

Question 34

Theorists argue about..

Answer 34

When the period of consensus ends.

Question 35

How does Pimlott describe the the theory of consensus?

Answer 35

A neat, convenient, explanatory framework. (is against it)

Question 36

When do people argue was the end of consensus?

Answer 36

1970 Heath, 1975 Miners strikes or 1979 Thatcher.

Question 37

Name some of the positive impacts of the post war consensus

Answer 37

Produced the Beveridge report on social insurances.
Changed the school leaving age, free secondary education.
Keynesian Budget attempted to increase full employment.
Universal social security.
NHS
Labour and Conservative held 90% of the vote.

Question 38

How do the advocates of Post war consensus describe the era?

Answer 38

The Golden age of rising living standards, domestic and european peace and full employment and social improvement.

Question 39

According to some, what were the 4 areas where policy continuity occurred?

Answer 39

Social Policy-Both accepted the need for Welfare State and house building.
Constitutional issues- acceptance of arrangements and practices.
Foreign Policy- Dependence on US, decolonization and attempts to join EEC.
Keynesian Economics-State had to intervene in economy to maintain full employment.

Question 40

Conservatives acceptance of Labour economic policies in 1947 is known as?

Answer 40

The Industrial Charter. Under Butler’s leadership.