Britian 1951 - 1964

making a modern Britain - ALEVELS - AQA

Winston Churchill 1951-55

strengths:

• reputation for leading wartime Britain

• international statesman

• able ministers

weakness:

• uninterested in domestic policies

• age and infirmity

Anthony Eden 1955-1957

strengths:

• foreign policy expert 

• experienced - acted Churchills deputy

• charming and popular

weaknesses:

• inexperienced in domestic affairs

• weak leader, indecisive 

• ill health 

Harold McMillan 1957-63

strengths: 

• reputation form housing minister under Churchill 

• calm, reassuring presence 

• good on tv

• one nation conservative  

weakness:

• became seen as old fashioned - Edwardian gentleman, marriage into aristocracy

• latterly suffered ill health 

Night of the long knives

Cabinet reshuffle

R.A.B. Butler 

strengths:

• one nation conservative 

• experienced, holding series of high ranking ministries 

• responsible for influential policies such as tripartite education system and review of capital punishment

weaknesses:

• divisive and unpopular with some colleagues 

Lord Alec Douglas-Home 1963-65

strengths:

• conciliatory figure in comparison to more divisive figures such as butler

weaknesses:

• not elected

• member of the aristocracy - out of touch 

post war consensus

• belief in a mixed economy - involvement of the state and private enterprise

• support for the NHS and welfare

• full employment

• working with both trade unions and employers

domestic policies

housing 

• 300,000 houses a year by 1953

education 

• tripartite system - grammar schools, technical high schools and secondary schools - 

social reforms 

• welfare and NHS to be funded 

• clean air act 1956

• factory act 1959

• homicide act 1957

• Wolfenden report 1957

industrial policy

• iron and steel denationalised 1953

• conciliatory attitudes towards trade unions 

Post war consensus

• belief in mixed economy

• Support and funding for the NHS and welfare state

• Full employment

• Working with trade unions and employers

divisions in labour party

prescription charges:

• left - none right - necessary

• divide of labour administration

Clause IV

• left - supportive right - used when appropriate

• trade unions concerned

nuclear weapons

• left - disarmament right - against disarmament

Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan 1897-1960

• minister of health in Attlee government

• architect for NHS 

• labour left

• resigned in protests against prescription charges

Hugh Gaitskell 1906 - 63

• chancellor of the exchequer

• introduced prescription charges 

• right of labour

• became labour leader

reasons for conservative fall

• seemed out of touch 

• scandals : profumo affair, spy scandals

• labour unity : death of  Bevan and Gaitskell, Wilson as leader 

• conservative failures  : economic concerns, stop go policy, rejection of EEC, night of the long knives 

The Profumo affair 

1963

• John Profumo, the defence secretary, had a brief relationship with Christine Keeler who was also sleeping with a Russian spy. 

Post-war boom

• food rationing ended in 1954

• increase in global trade

• productivity went up and full employment achieved in 1955

• increase in wages

• tax cuts

• people to buy more consumer goods

• growth in birth rates

how was UK productivity compared to other countries

• lower than US and West Germany

• west Germany: ‘52 - 126 ‘59 - 225

• USA: ‘52 - 111 ‘59 - 133

• UK: ‘52 - 101 ‘59 - 129

what was the Stop-Go policy/economics

the economy slowed down too much government encouraged growth by lowering interests rates and allowing wages to rise 

when the economy overheats and inflation started to go up, the government slowed down the economy down by raising interest rates and controlling wage increase 

why did balance payments occur and what problems it created?

• danger that consumer demands would lead Britain to imports more than exports

• cause a run on the pound

• economy would grow faster than productivity 

what were the problem with stop-go economics?

• 1961 government forced to apply to the international monetary fund for a loan and was forced to introduce pay pause to try keep inflation low

• 1962 National Incomes Commission was set up to plan economic growth 

• 1961 to rethink attitudes to europe and make application to EEC which was denied in 1963

• public expenditure was cut 

• at the time of general election of 1964 there was deficit of £800mil

what is monetarism?

• limit government spending - cuts to house building, welfare and public services

• managing the demand rather economy

war in Korea 

1950

British troops were sent to Korea - 60,000 members of the the British armed forces served, many national service men 

festival of Britain 

1951

showcased British achievement since second world war. bright look at the future. celebrated arts, sciences and architecture.

give hope for Britons

What were britain’s social developments?

• rising living standards

• Impact of affluence and consumerism

• Class and ‘establishment’

• Position of women

• Attitudes to immigration and racial violence

Rising living standards

• men’s weekly wage went from 8.30 in 51’ to 15.35 by 61’

• Access to new consumer goods: fridges, cars, new furniture

• Housing improved: slums cleared, replaced with new towns

• Rationing came to end

Change of affluence and consumerism

• more people were able to buy household goods such as washing machines, television, fridges

• Boom in car ownership rose by 25% between 1957-59

• Access to cars, increased prosperity and shorter working weeks, opened up leisure, work and holiday opportunities

Impact of affluence and consumerism

• House appliances made women lives easier

• Television became leisure activity

• Advertising prevalent, ITV launch 1955

• DIY, Gardening popular hobbies

• Building more motorways

• Holiday camps popular, 60,000 people each week

Class and establishment

• trust was shaken by discovery that government had lied about the suez crisis

• Debates over nuclear disarmament encouraged challenges to established ideas

• ‘Angry young men’ portrayed contemporary life

• Class-ridden society and lack of societal mobility had blocked talent

The position of women: at home

• 75% of women married by the age 21

• Lives dominated by looking after children, cleaning and cooking, shopping and laundry

• Household appliances more common: washing machines 54% and fridges 58% - tasks quicker left women unfulfilled by their limited lives

The position of women: in the work place

• Deterred from working

• Belief that working mothers would be detrimental to the development of their children

• Government encouraged for women to stay home - family allowance

• Trade unions discouraged women from working

• Middle class women benefited from equal pay benign introduced for teachers 52’ and civil service 54’

Immigration to Britain

• by 1958, 21,000 commonwealth immigrants had settled in Britain

• 75% men working to support family back in their home country

• Majority came from West Indies through large numbers came from India and Pakistan

• 1960s approximately 1.25 million came to live in Britain

• filled many low wage jobs

Emigration out of Britain

• many moved to Australia and North America

• Australia keen to attract, it offered assistance with travel, jobs and housing

• 1.32 Britons migrated abroad

• Went up to 1.92 million in 60s

race relations in Britain

Empire Windrush - Jamaica to London of may 1948, 492 migrant workers, Windrush voyage symbol of a new period of african-caribean immigration - 250000 migrants 

by 1958 there were 210000 commonwealth migrants - 75% working males 

attitudes were mixed - some tolerant some resentful 

received a total 676000 migrants and 1.32 Britons migrated - economically desired 

‘NO IRISH, NO BLACKS, NO DOGS’ - 1955

what were the Nottingham hill riots in London ?

August 1958

violent outbreaks which had a large African-Caribbean population. Landlords exploited competition for overcrowded, run-down housing between the blacks and the white tenants. many while youth gangs attacked the african-caribean which they fought back in self defence. Police response reflected wider racial discrimination

who was Oswald Mosley

he encouraged the riots against migrants.

a leader of British fascism, tried to use the disquiet to become the MP for Nottingham hill at the 1959 general election, standing on a platform of repatriation. 

the common wealth immigrants act

1962

limit the number of immigrants allowed to come to Britain 

Reasons for the Emergence of ‘teenager’ and youth culture

• full employment and higher wages mean young people had disposable income

• Technology: transistor radio, made it easier for a separate culture to develop

• End of national service gave young men more freedom

• Labour saving devices gave young women more freedom

• Baby boom

Types of teenage culture

• teddy boys - early 50s

• Rockers - late 50s

• Mods - late 50s

How were these new youth cultures perceived?

Teddy boys: linked them to Juvenile delinquency and rising crime

Mods/rockers: rivalry led to incidents like the riots in Clayton, margate and Brighton led to moral panic

Changing social attitudes and tensions

Televisions produced campaigning programmes designed to raise controversy about social issues such as Cathy come home about homelessness - drive to beak down censorship and social taboos

How was this new culture perceived?

• not universally popular

• Backlash against the new ‘immorality and depravity’ led by Mary Whitehouse who began her ‘moral crusade in 1963 setting up ‘clean up TV campaign’ in 1964 and national viewers and listeners association in 1965

Why Britain did not join the EEC in 1957?

• not a popular idea

• Wanted to sustain its special relationship

• Felt to be a world power not one of many eu nations

• Different experiences from war - it has won

• Petered to maintain ties with the commonwealth

• The left felt the EEC would be a ‘capitalist’ club

How did these attitudes about EEC change?

• Britain’s growth was slower and its productivity was weaker than members in EEC

• Suez demonstrated Britain’s limited power and the reliance on US

• Ongoing financial concerns - not dominate world affairs

• Retreat from empire shift in perception of role in the world

• US saw it useful for Britain to join to ensure resistance of USSR

When was the application to EEC first rejected?

1963 - feared Britain’s entry would lessen french influence and Britain would allow US too much influence

winds of change?

Decolonisation begun at 1947 when India became independent

why?:

• independent movements: Mau Mau in Kenya, Malaya, Cyprus 

• international pressure - USA

• financial concerns

• impact of Suez

The suez crisis, what was it?

Suez Canal was important trading route between Europe and the Middle East when the Egyptian president (1956) announced he was going to nationalise the canal

What happened during suez crisis?

• Eden secretly planed with France and Isreal to return the canal to British control. Plan involved Isreal invasion of Egypt that would allow Britain and France to intervene in peacekeeping role

• 29 October 1956 Isreal invaded Egypt

• 5 November British and french troops sent to suez

What were the short term consequences of the suez crisis?

• Labour Party opposed the attack and protests held across the country

• Condemned internationally + US

• US able to put Britain under financial pressure

• Eden declared ceasefire

What were the long term consequences of the suez crisis?

• challenged Britains reputation as a force for good

• Demonstrated Britains need for support from US

• Highlighted Britains weak economic and financial position

• Threw doubt on Britains status as major world power