1945-51: The 1945 Election and the Rise of Consensus Politics

Flashcards about the 1945 Election, Consensus Politics, Nationalisation, and Industrial Relations under Labour.

What factors contributed to the political consensus that emerged after the 1930s and 40s?

Experiences of extreme politics and hardship led people to seek harmonious collaboration to avoid conflict.

What was a key factor leading to Labour's landslide victory in the 1945 election?

A 10.7% swing from Conservatives to Labour, the largest since 1800.

According to Adelman, what changed for the Labour government after the summer of 1947?

The Labour government was never again as unified, confident, and hopeful as it had been between 1945 and 1947.

What is nationalisation?

The process of transforming privately-owned assets into public assets under the ownership of a national government or state.

Which Prime Minister is mostly associated with privatisation in the 1980s and early 1990s?

Margaret Thatcher

What did Labour Election posters claim regarding nationalisation under Attlee?

That nationalisation would lead to better lives by addressing low wages and high unemployment.

What was Vesting Day, January 1, 1947, related to?

The nationalisation of coal industries.

What was the general plan for Labour's Programme of Nationalisation?

To nationalise industries in stages through their time in power, aiming to employ more people through this system.

Who did Attlee appoint as Minister of Labour in 1945?

George Isaacs, chairman of the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

What legislation did Labour repeal in 1946 that was passed by the Conservatives after the General Strike?

The Trade Disputes and Trade Union Act of 1927.

What did Dalton propose towards the end of 1947 concerning food imports and rationing?

Reductions in food imports and further rationing.

What did the government's 'Statement on the Economic Considerations Affecting Relations Between Employers and Workers' argue in January 1947?

Wage restraint could not be enforced, and urged unions to exercise restraint.

What did Attlee call for in February 1948 regarding wages and prices?

The voluntary stabilisation of wages and prices (effectively a 'wage freeze').

What aid program helped improve prices in 1949?

The Marshall Plan

When did the TUC decide to abandon its policy of wage restraint?

June 1950

What led to the withdrawal of Order 1305?

The government's failure to prosecute striking dockworkers in 1951.