Rise Of Consensus Politics And Political Change 1945-79

Question 1

What did Winston Churchill offer in his speech to the House of Commons on 13 May 1940?

Answer 1

Blood, toil, tears and sweat.

This speech emphasized the struggle and suffering ahead in World War II.

Question 2

What is Churchill’s policy as stated in his 1940 speech?

Answer 2

To wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might.

This highlights the commitment to fight against tyranny.

Question 3

What is the one-word answer to Churchill’s question about the aim of the war?

Answer 3

Victory.

This reflects the necessity of achieving victory for survival.

Question 4

Who was the Prime Minister of the UK from July 1945 to October 1951?

Answer 4

Clement Attlee.

Question 5

Which political party did Clement Attlee represent?

Answer 5

Labour.

Question 6

What was a key reason for Labour’s large victory in the 1945 election?

Answer 6

Voters believed Churchill was not the best man to lead in peacetime.

Question 7

What significant report did Labour promise to implement in its 1945 manifesto?

Answer 7

The 1942 Beveridge Report.

Question 8

What were the five ‘Giant Evils’ addressed in the Beveridge Report?

Answer 8

• Disease
• Idleness
• Ignorance
• Squalor
• Want

Question 9

What was the Conservative Party’s seat count in the July 1945 election?

Answer 9

213.

Question 10

What was the Labour Party’s seat count in the October 1951 election?

Answer 10

295.

Question 11

True or False: Churchill’s election campaign in 1945 was considered very effective.

Answer 11

False.

His campaign was criticized for being lackluster and assuming victory was assured.

Question 12

Why did many voters have negative memories of the Conservative Party?

Answer 12

Failure to build a ‘home fit for heroes’ and to solve the Depression in the 1930s.

Question 13

Who succeeded Winston Churchill as Prime Minister in October 1951?

Answer 13

Anthony Eden.

Question 14

Fill in the blank: The Beveridge Report is officially called _______.

Answer 14

Social Insurance and Allied Services.

Question 15

What was the total number of Labour seats in the February 1950 election?

Answer 15

315.

Question 16

What was a major tactic used by Attlee to secure votes after the war?

Answer 16

Breaking off the coalition to fight as a separate party.

Question 17

What did Labour’s 1945 manifesto promise to the British people?

Answer 17

To implement the recommendations of the Beveridge Report.

Question 18

What was the public’s sentiment towards Labour ministers during the war?

Answer 18

They were seen as having provided excellent service.

Question 19

Who was seen as a responsible leader of the Labour party during the war?

Answer 19

Clement Attlee, who served as deputy prime minister and often acted as prime minister in the Commons.

Question 20

What role did Ernest Bevin play during the war?

Answer 20

He was the Minister for Labour, minimising strikes and maximising output, and later became Foreign Secretary.

Question 21

What was Herbert Morrison’s notable contribution during the war?

Answer 21

He served as Home Secretary and coordinated efforts to cope with the effects of the Blitz.

Question 22

What economic role did Hugh Dalton hold during the war?

Answer 22

He was the Minister for War Economy and later President of the Board of Trade, eventually becoming Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Question 23

What is collectivism?

Answer 23

A political approach where individuals give up some rights to work with the state for a common purpose.

Question 24

What does nationalisation mean?

Answer 24

The process by which governments take over the ownership and running of private firms.

Question 25

What is a 'one-nation' Tory?

Answer 25

A term coined by Benjamin Disraeli, calling for Conservatives to care for poorer sections of society and build positive relations with them.

Question 26

What contributed to the post-war consensus in British politics?

Answer 26

The Second World War brought Conservative and Labour ministers together in a National government, leading to agreement on key policies.

Question 27

What was the significance of the war in shaping British economic policies?

Answer 27

It led to acceptance of policies previously seen as 'socialist', including nationalisation and the creation of the National Health Service.

Question 28

How did the Conservatives respond to Labour's reforms from 1945 to 1979?

Answer 28

They did little to roll back Labour's extension of state management and provision, partly because Labour's reforms were not as radical as they could have been.

Question 29

What was Attlee's approach to the economy?

Answer 29

He aimed to create a 'mixed economy' or 'middle way' to prevent the failures of capitalism that caused misery in the 1930s.

Question 30

What was Churchill's position regarding social reforms?

Answer 30

At 77, he was too old to change his ways but wanted to make himself electable as a peacetime prime minister.

Question 31

Who was Anthony Eden and what was his political stance?

Answer 31

He was prime minister from 1955-57 and a 'one-nation' Tory who valued social cohesion for foreign affairs.

Question 32

What did Harold Macmillan advocate for based on his experiences?

Answer 32

He was shocked by the suffering in the 1930s and wrote 'The Middle Way' expressing sympathy for more radical solutions.

Question 33

What was Richard A. Butler known for?

Answer 33

He was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1951-55 and the driving force behind the 1944 Education Act.

Question 34

What were the general election results for Conservatives in May 1955?

Answer 34

Conservatives won 344 seats with 49.7% of the votes.

Question 35

What were the general election results for Labour in October 1964?

Answer 35

Labour won 295 seats with 44.1% of the votes.

Question 36

What were the general election results for Liberals in February 1974?

Answer 36

Liberals won 14 seats with 19.3% of the votes.

Question 37

What was the aim of Attlee's government in nationalising industries?

Answer 37

To improve the efficiency of failing industries and save jobs, improve worker-employer relations, and prioritize community needs over profit.

Question 38

What industries were nationalised by Attlee's government?

Answer 38

Bank of England (1946), air transport (1946), cable and wireless (1947), coal-mining (1947), public transport (1948), electricity generation (1948), gas (1949), and iron and steel (1951).

Question 39

What was the role of the Economic Planning Council established in 1947?

Answer 39

To check on issues such as levels of production and imports, and to provide advice to farmers on using subsidies effectively.

Question 40

What austerity measures were enforced by Chancellor Stafford Cripps?

Answer 40

Extended wartime rationing on several foods until 1951, rationing of coal during the winter of 1947-48, and controls on rent, profits, and interest rates.

Question 41

What was the public response to the government's austerity measures by 1950-51?

Answer 41

Criticism from the right for too much interference, from the left for not enough planning, and general public fatigue with austerity.

Question 42

What was the significance of the $2.7 billion loan from the United States?

Answer 42

It was part of the European Recovery Programme (Marshall Aid) that enabled significant welfare reforms during economic difficulties.

Question 43

What does the term 'post-war consensus' refer to?

Answer 43

A general agreement among political parties in Britain on key issues following the Second World War.

Question 44

What led to the rejection of the post-war consensus by 1979?

Answer 44

The perceived failure of Keynesian economic policies, calls for free-market solutions, and tensions between workers and employers.

Question 45

Who was Margaret Thatcher and what was her stance on the post-war consensus?

Answer 45

She became Britain's first female prime minister in 1979 and sought to eliminate what she viewed as creeping socialism.

Question 46

What is Keynesianism?

Answer 46

An economic theory advocating for government borrowing and spending during recessions to stimulate demand and growth, contrary to the classic view of balancing budgets.

Question 47

What was the period of Jeremy Thorpe's leadership of the Liberal Party?

Answer 47

1918-1997

Question 48

What hindered the recovery of the Liberals in parliament during Thorpe's leadership?

Answer 48

The FPTP system prevented the recovery.

Question 49

What event led to the British electorate opting for Thatcher's solutions?

Answer 49

The 'Winter of Discontent' in 1978-79.

Question 50

What were the conditions during the 'Winter of Discontent'?

Answer 50

Rubbish piled up on city streets and the dead went unburied in Liverpool.

Question 51

What happened in the West End of London in February 1979?

Answer 51

Rubbish piled up.