A Crumbling Britain 1951-1964 Politics (Unit 1, Topic 1)

Question 1

What were the Negatives for Britain due to WW2?

Answer 1

Food as well as petrol and sugar was being rationed

There was a considerable housing shortage and loss of road-industry, railway utility.

Due to the lack of economic stability Britain gave Pakistan and India their independence.

Society was sill restrictive and punished homosexuality

Married women were not job suitable and there was very limited youth culture.

Question 2

What the positives for Britain due to WW2?

Answer 2

However there were more opportunities for women in industries

The war had also brought medical and educational welfare advancement

There was fewer class division and the country had a more democratic outlook.

Question 3

How did Labour persuade the voters?

Answer 3

Labour was said to implement the Beveridge report of 1942. Labour also showed economic stability and control and social reform

Question 4

Why didn’t people want to vote for the Conservatives?

Answer 4

Many voters were skeptical of conservatives delivering new reforms, society wanted a new kind of Britain that Churchill just couldn’t provide.

Question 5

What were the main steps to the conservative’s downfall?

Answer 5

Rival Clement Atlee promised ‘fair shares for all’

Beveridge Report used as Propaganda

Owed £3.5 billion to other countries

London became full of armed gangs and lawless children

Rationing occurred until 1954

The Squatting Revolt occurred, September 1946

Question 6

How did Atlee’s Labour Government resolve Britain’s problems?

Answer 6

15th August, Atlee gave India Independence

Commonwealth gave 800 million homes in Britain

Atlee pushed for radical change in the industrial industry

The Marshall Plan allowed for sustainable economic stability

July 5 1948 NHS founded and opened

Question 7

What were the problems Atlee’s Government faced?

Answer 7

Atlee realised that the empire wasn’t sustainable economically

23rd of January was the coldest winter of the century

2 million people laid off from jobs

Famine harvest plans would later be declassified

People forced to eat snoek

Loss of 840 Navy ships

Independent doctors saw NHS as a power grab by the Government

Question 8

What did the Labour Governments NHS bring to Britain?

Answer 8

Introduced in the 1940s by Labour who aimed to help the countries national insurance. It provided education, housing, NHS and legal aid. It helped to promote economic and social wellbeing so to reduce hardship and poverty.

However, it did not help all socials ills in Britain.

Question 9

How did the Labour Government increase Nationalism in Britain?

Answer 9

Coal mines now belonged to the nation allowing for more social advance and improvements within industries. The coal was nationalised on January 1st 1947. Electricity was nationalised on the 14th December 1946. This helped to cheapen supply costs and simplify methods of transportation for goods.

Question 10

How did Labour improve the Education system?

Answer 10

Education Act introduced a selection of 11 compulsory free secondary school educations. Education as a whole became more accessible and a better standard. There were more teachers trained and recruited. Free school meals and milk were provided

Question 11

How did Labour improve the Economy?

Answer 11

Aimed to repair war damage, raise living standards and restore trade disputes. Implemented the Beveridge Report

However exports fell in volume and value till 1948 and inflation occurred as manufacturers and shop prices increased

Question 12

How did Labour improve the demand for Food?

Answer 12

Rationing became common so to avoid shortages, eventually substitutes for the food became available with snoek being a popular import. Influences from immigrants cultures led to new dishes appearing in Britain

Question 13

How did Labour improve Housing?

Answer 13

1.2 million new homes built, mostly council homes to rent, in 1949 Housing Act allowed the reparation of homes and improve the standard of living in areas. However, demand remained very high

Question 14

What is the Chancellor of Exequer?

Answer 14

The government minister responsible for economic and financial policy

Question 15

What happened as a result of the 1951 election?

Answer 15

Conservatives win by using the first past the post electoral system and Winston Churchill would become PM for the 2nd time with Anthony Eden as Foreign Secretary.

During their reign nothing really happened with Churchill spending the majority of his time abroad relaxing. Tension started to boil between Eden, Butler and Macmillan

Question 16

What happened as a result of the 1956 election?

Answer 16

Conservatives gain more majority of votes and Anthony Eden steps up as PM. Edward Heath, the Chief Whip, opposed Eden’s way of thinking and actions. Eden attempted to move his rival Macmillan to the Treasury in 1955. He also took action in he Suez Crisis which was a big disaster.

The USA exposed Britain’s economic crisis after the Suez Crisis and showed their true weaknesses

Question 17

What happened as a result of the 1959 election?

Answer 17

Conservatives win again with majority votes and seats. Macmillan becomes PM and nicknamed “SuperMac”. Butler would become Home Secretary and Macmillan had the media in his grasp.

The labour party had many internal battles and were no match against the conservatives. Overall there was little criticism and internal battles inside the Conservative party

Question 18

What was the Post War Consensus?

Answer 18

A deal agreement between the major parties discussing major issues

Question 19

What were the requirements of the Post War Consensus?

Answer 19

A belief in a mixed economy

Support the NHS and the Welfare State

A wish to ensure full employment and to avoid mass unemployment like the 1930’s

Working with both trade unions and employers

Question 20

What were the results of the 1945-51 Labour Policies?

Answer 20

Housing- Rising expectations could not be met, council homes rent increased but by 1950 200,000 new homes had been built

Education- Education Act of 1944 and Family Allowance Act 1945 meant free compulsory education with school meals provided for the children and financial benefit for each subsequent child attending school and 11 new compulsory subjects

Social Reform- National Insurance Act helped to construct the NHS in 1948, Industrial Industry Act provided regulation and development in specific industries and the National Assistants Act helped people without resources to contribute to the National Insurance

Question 21

What were the results of the 1951-64 Conservative Policies?

Answer 21

Housing- Promised to build over 300,000 homes a year

Education- 11 new secondary schools to better education for all classes of society. Grammar, Secondary, Technical

Social Reform- Clean Air Act of 1956, Homicide Act of 1957 providing help to the mentally ill and reaching out to provide support. Wolfenden Commission meant being LGBTQ was no longer a crime.

Question 22

What is Unilateral Nuclear Disarmament?

Answer 22

The policy of renouncing the use and possession of nuclear weapons without waiting for any international consultation or agreement

Question 23

What were some of Labours Problems in the 1950’s?

Answer 23

Their social image would be tarnished and the trade unions wouldn’t side with them.

Macmillan had a lot more popularity to help his campaign

They had multiple disagreements with the trade unions and couldn’t restore economic stability

Had campaigners of the CND protesting against the making of atomic weapons

Division between the Left and Right wing which included lots of infighting and divisions within the party

Question 24

What were the Profumo Affairs?

Answer 24

A major scandal between John Profumo and a 19 year old model and also presumed Soviet spy, Christine Keeler, that began in 1961. After denying these claims he was put under a police investigation which he came out of guilty.

This damaged Macmillan’s reputation and governments credibility, forcing him to resign in October 1963

Question 25

What was the problem with Sir Alec Douglas?

Answer 25

He served as a PM between 1963-64. However, it is deemed unacceptable for a PM to sit at the House of Lords, which he did. The manner of his appointment became controversial and some of Macmillan’s previous board members refused to work with him. He would also be the start of decolonisation of the British Empire

Question 26

First Past the Post?

Answer 26

A voting system whereby the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins a seat in parliament

Question 27

Appeasement?

Answer 27

A policy of making concessions in order to avoid conflict, in the 1930’s the British government had aimed to prevent a war with Nazi Germany by following this policy but failed

Question 28

Bevanites?

Answer 28

Movement of the left wing