MOMB The Affluent Society 1951-64

3 past episodes that shaped 1951 Britain:

Great Depression of 1930s, WW2 and rebuilding of Britain under Attlee

What was labour generally thought as

The workers party

Why did the conservatives prioritise employment after reelection in 1951?

They needed to match labours concern for the workers

How did the war affect classes

It brought people together with a common purpose, lessening the divide

How was the rebuilding programme literal and figurative

It included both buildings and the welfare state

What did the Labour government of past years think

Privatisation of industries should be abolished

What was the problem with privatisation of industries

Profit motive was the most important factor, and they could freely sack workers

When did labour nationalise industries

1949

Which industries were nationalised under labour

Road, coal, iron, steel etc

Why was the nationalisation of iron and steel controversial

These were profitable industries and weren’t going bust or laying off workers

Who was John Maynard Keynes

The economic guru of the late 40s

What did John Maynard Keynes argue

When the economy is recessing, the government should spend to maintain levels of employment

What was the result of the 1951 election

Lost by Attlee and labour, won by Churchill and conservatives

What was the conservative majority in 1951?

17

Whose votes were labour more likely to win

Industrial areas of workers

Which votes were the conservatives more likely to win

Rural areas of middle class homeowners

Whose votes did the conservatives take in 1951?

The Liberal vote, which collapsed

What was special about the 1951 election

It was the only one between 1945 and 2005 that got over 50% of the country’s vote

Reasons for labours loss of 1951 election: rationing

Rationing was still in place and luxuries were few, creating austerity

Reasons for labours loss of 1951 election: 1947 winter

This was the coldest winter on record, and fuel couldn’t be transported

Reasons for labours loss of 1951 election: National Service

Germany was still unstable, so many men were still contained in Europe

Reasons for labours loss of 1951 election: Divide

Attlee was exhausted, party was divided from the Gateskell-Bevan quarrel

Bevan

Minister for health who set up the NHS to be free

Hugh Gateskell

Chancellor, wanted to charge dental treatments and opticians

What was the premise of the Gateskellite Bevanite quarrel?

Realists vs idealists

Achievements of the 1945-51 Labour Government

Welfare state, housing and nationalisation

Who was healthcare paid by before July 1948?

Individuals

Who got free treatment before 1948?

Half the male workforce through insurance schemes

What was the downside of males in the workforce getting free healthcare from insurance schemes

It excluded their wives

How were many of the sick cared for before July 1948?

Friends, family, neighbors

Who did Attlee appoint to be the minister of health?

Aneurin Bevan

What was one of Bevans first moves as minister of health

Putting local and charity hospitals under public ownership

Who did Bevan face opposition from after setting up the NHS?

The British medical association

British medical association

Represented doctors threatened by the new system

How did Bevan eradicate the opposition to the NHS?

Allowed doctors to remain outside the salaried structure

Why did the NHS become rapidly overwhelmed?

The gov didn’t realise how unhealthy the British population was

NHS budget in 1948

134 million

NHS budget in 1949

228 million

NHS budget in 1950

356 million

What happened to the NHS due to the rising budget and rearmament for Cold War?

Costs implemented for a shilling per prescription

What did new NHS prescription costs trigger

Bevan’s resignation in 1951

Means testing

People seeking assistance having to prove eligibility

What did Labour 1945-51 do to means testing

Abolished it

What did Labour 1945-51 do to pensions

Increased them in 1946 to 1.30 a week

Who was responsible for Housing in the Labour Gov of 1945-51

Bevan

What happened to many houses during the war

They were destroyed, leading to slums

What did Ernest Bevin promise to do with housing

5 million new homes

What was the problem with Ernest Bevin’s housing promise

Lack of raw materials and slow paperwork process

How many pre-fabricated houses were created by the end of 1948

125,000

Who created the prefabricated houses in 1948?

Aircraft factories due to their lack of output

What also hindered the creation of new houses in 1948?

The economic crisis

How many houses had labour built by 1951?

One million

What did labour 1945-51 do to private housing developments

Reduced them to maximise materials for public projects

What did Labour 1945-51 increase space allocated to each family to?

900 square feet

What was nationalisation regarded as 1945-51

One of the biggest successes of the Labour government

How much of industry did Attlee’s labour nationalise?

20 percent

Which industry did Attlee’s Labour particularity target in nationalisation?

Coal

Which industries suffered from poor management under private ownership?

Coal, electricity, rail and gas

What were Attlee’s hopes for the nationalised industries?

Attract investment, improve conditions and prevent collapse

However, what did the majority of Attlee’s labour revolution reflect?

The interests of the cabinet rather than the wider party

Failures of 1945-51 gov: How did nationalisation not benefit workers?

They were still prevented from joining boards

When did Attlee and his ministers grow up?

During the pinnacle of the empire

When did India and Pakistan gain independence?

August 1947

What did the desire to be a great power in 1946 lead to?

The creation of an atomic bomb

What did the development of the atomic bomb in 1946 lead to

The financial crisis of 1947

Why did the economy continue to derail after 1947

Korean War rearmament

What did the Conservatives recognise economically when they came to power in 1951

The need to reduce rearmament

What continuity did the conservatives keep once coming to power?

Nationalisation and the welfare state to be a One Nation Party

What was the conservatives main aim with education

Equal opportunity for everyone

RA Butler’s act for education

1944 Education Act

What was created for the tripartite education system

The 11+ exam

Where did clever children go to school?

Grammar schools

Where did technical children go to school?

Technical schools

Where did the other children go to school

Secondary moderns

What were the problems with Churchill as a leader?

Age, policies, empire

Problems with Churchill’s leadership: Age

He was too old to be a leader and was only a figurehead

Problems with Churchill’s leadership: Policies

Only interested in foreign policy like Cold War and nuclear weapons

Who took over domestic policies due to churchills lack of interest

Macmillan and Butler

Problems with Churchill’s leadership: Empire

He wanted to maintain American relations and the empire

How many homes a year did Macmillan build?

30,000

What was the problem with many of Macmillan’s homes?

They were of substandard quality

What state was Britains economy in in the 1950s?

Improving but not at the rate of others in Europe

Why was the British population glad for the decrease in unemployment in the 1950s?

Industry was increasing so they could spend dispensable income

When did rationing come to an end?

1954

How did the increase in electricity in the 1950s affect lives?

Helpful consumer goods made household chores efficient

How did the expansion of the motor industry in the 1950s affect lives?

People purchased cars for leisure through new payment schemes

Why did wages increase in the 1950s?

Nationalised workers were paid union wages avoiding strikes

Churchills leadership- relations with Eden

Strained as Eden waited for him to step down

Churchills leadership- age

He was too old to be much more than a figurehead

Churchills leadership- stroke

Out of action after a stroke in 1953 without many noticing

What model of economics did all parties follow in the 1950s?

Stop go economics

Which economics did Butler follow

Keynesian economics

Keynesian economics

Promoting full employment and welfare whilst achieving growth

To grow the economy, what would the government do?

Inflate it

To reduce unstable growth, what would the government do?

Deflate the economy

What is the problem with inflating the economy

Products become affordable, increasing prices

What happens when prices increase?

Fixed prices like pensions lose value

Why was stop go criticised?

It was a short term solution

What did the people of Britain want instead of stop go?

A strategy to lead to controllable, stronger relative growth

What did the government economically suffer from periodically throughout the 50s?

Balance of payment crises