Theme 2 a 2 - The impact of the Second World War Flashcards
(29 cards)
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<p>What happened to the role of the state due to WW2?</p>
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<p><strong>It enlarged the role of the state!</strong></p>
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<ul> <li><strong>Government</strong>- became <strong>responsible</strong> for <strong>directing the economy</strong> in order to ensure that <strong>troops</strong> and <strong>workers</strong> were <strong>supplied!</strong></li> <li>The state <strong>took on powers</strong> to ensure the <strong>welfare of the population</strong> and <strong>state provision </strong>of welfare <strong>increased significantly!</strong></li></ul>
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<p>When was the Beveridge Report published?</p>
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<p>December, 1942</p>
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<p>What was published in December, 1942?</p>
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<p>The Beveridge Report!</p>
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<p>What did evacuations do?</p>
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<p>Moved children out of cities to the countryside in order to protect them from the bombings!</p>
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<p>How many children did the first evacuation relocate?</p>
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<p>1.5 million children!</p>
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<p>What was the problem with evacuations? (who was in charge and what did he assume?)</p>
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<ul> <li>Evacuation authorities, l<strong>ed by Home Secretary Sir John Anderson</strong> - did <strong>not cater</strong> for the <strong>needs</strong> of the <strong>evacuees</strong>!</li></ul>
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<ul> <li><strong>Private charity</strong> was <strong>not sufficent enough</strong> to meet the <strong>needs of the evacuees</strong> and in the initial evacuations, children from poor homes were transported to the countryside <strong>without spare clothes, bedding or food!</strong></li></ul>
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<p>What did the government learn from the mistakes of previous evacuations?</p>
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<ul> <li>They ensured that the <strong>children</strong> were provided with the <strong>essentials</strong>!</li></ul>
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<ul> <li><strong>Social workers </strong>were made available to <strong>help children </strong>who were<strong> distressed</strong>!</li></ul>
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<p>What did the government introduce which took control of peoples lives more than ever before and brought together sectors of the society that may never have met?</p>
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<ul> <li>They <strong>evacuated children</strong> from <strong>poor urban centres</strong> to <strong>safe areas</strong> in the<strong> countryside</strong>!</li></ul>
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<ul> <li>They introduced<strong> rationing-</strong>made people feel <strong>more equal </strong>as everybody was suffering hardship for the war effort- and yet rationing, with shortages of unhealthy foodstuffs, <strong>made people generally healthier!</strong></li></ul>
<p><br></br>When was rationing first introduced?</p>
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<p>January 1940</p>
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<p>1) What were the first items to be rationed?</p>
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<p>2) What items followed the course of the next year?</p>
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<p>1) Bacon, butter and sugar ( which British people consumed in prodigious quantities).</p>
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<p>2) Cooking fat, meat, tea, jam and eggs.</p>
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<p>What system was introduced so people could buy items such as biscuits, tinned fruit and fish each month to add more variety to their diet?</p>
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<p>A complex points system!</p>
<p><br></br>What food items were not rationed?</p>
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<p>Items such as bread and people grew vegetables in great quantities!</p>
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<p>Why did nutritionists believe was the impact of food rationing?</p>
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<ul> <li>Believed that the <strong>British diet improved</strong> as <strong>less healthy foods</strong> tended to be<strong> unavailable</strong> and were <strong>supplemented by healthier foods</strong>- so people were generally healthier!</li></ul>
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<ul> <li><strong>Alcohol and tobacco</strong>, while not rationed, were in <strong>short supply</strong>- the price of a <strong>pint of beer doubled</strong> from <strong>3p </strong>to <strong>7p </strong>between <strong>1939 </strong>and <strong>1942</strong>.</li></ul>
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<p>Between what years did a pint of beer double from 3p to 7p?</p>
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<p>1939 and 1942</p>
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<p>When were clothes rationed?</p>
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<p>From June 1941</p>
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<p>What was the yearly allowance ofcoupons for clothes?</p>
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<p>How many coupons did a womans dress take up?</p>
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<p>66 coupons</p>
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<p>Womans dress- 11 coupons</p>
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<p>What clothing was introduced and why was this?</p>
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<p>Utility clothing, based on simple styles to save on material!</p>
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<p>Why did washing become problematic?</p>
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<p>There were <strong>restrictions</strong> on <strong>coal</strong> and <strong>fuel</strong> for<strong> heating</strong>, exhortations to only have<strong> shallow baths</strong> and <strong>soap </strong>was <strong>rationed </strong>to a measly <strong>three ounces per month!</strong></p>
<p><br></br>What were the effects of rationing?</p>
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<ul> <li>There was a <strong>thriving black market</strong>- and <strong>many items</strong> were <strong>availbale</strong> for a price that only <strong>certain sections of the population could afford</strong>.</li></ul>
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<ul> <li>Genuine feeling that<strong> rationing equalised society</strong> and <strong>enhanced</strong> the <strong>feeling</strong> that everyone was making a <strong>sacrafice for the war effort</strong>.</li></ul>
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<p>Improved diet</p>
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<p>What did the governments Food Policy Committee chaired by Clement Attlee authorise?</p>
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<p>Subsidised milk and heating fuel for mothers with small children!</p>
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<p>How was there an imrovement in diet due to rationing?</p>
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<p><strong>1 third </strong>of the population who had been unable to eat enough during the depression, found their standards of living improve, even during a period of rationing!</p>
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<p>What did the Beveridge report do?</p>
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<p>Set out a vision of post-war Britain in which state welfare conquered the five evils of:</p>
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<ul> <li>Squalor</li> <li>Ignorance</li> <li>Want</li> <li>Idleness</li> <li>Disease</li></ul>
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<p>What were the 5 evils in the Beveridge report?</p>
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<ul> <li>Squalor</li> <li>Idleness</li> <li>Want</li> <li>Disease</li> <li>Ignorance</li></ul>
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<p>Who was the Beveridge report written by and why?</p>
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<p><strong>William Beveridge in 1942</strong>- as part of broader attempts by the government to plan the reconstruction of Britain after the end of the war.</p>
What did the Beveridge report, 1942 advocate?
- Advocated a new relationship of co-operation between the state and the individual.
- He was not suggesting that the state should take over the responsibility for the running of peoples lives.
- He was keen to provide welfare, but also preserve the independence of the British people.
What benefits did the Beveridge Report advocate and what did it reject?
What did he argue?
- Advocated universal benefits- rejecting the means test introduced in the 1930s.
- He argued for flat rate of contributions from all wage earners to pay for the welfare benefits and a flat rate of benefit irrespective of individual circumstances.
What were the reactions to the Beveridge Report?
- His vision was extremely popular, selling over 635,000 copies!
- It was used as propaganda- British troops stationed overseas were sent copies to encourage them to fight better!
- It seemed to articulate the hopes of most Britons of a Britain free of poverty!
The Beveridge Report
The Ministry of information monitored public opinion and what did they find?
- They found the report to have support from all elements of society!
- It was well received by all of Britains newspapers too, including The Times and Telegraph which traditionally supported small government and low taxes.
What newspapers supported The Beveridge Report, 1942?
The Times and Telegraph!
