The Making of Modern Britain, 1951-2007 - Vocabulary Flashcards

Flashcards covering vocabulary from a history textbook on Modern Britain (1951-2007).

First-past-the-post electoral system

Voting system whereby the individual who tops the poll in each constituency is elected and no account is taken of the percentage of the poll secured by each party in the region or country as a whole.

Core vote

That section of the electorate upon which a party can reliably count for support, often associated with a particular class or social group.

One Nation Conservatism

The name, appropriated from Disraeli, was used by a small group of new Conservative MPs in 1950 to describe their support for the sort of moderate, reforming Toryism, which encouraged social cohesion and avoided divisive policies. Now used more generally to describe the left wing of the Conservative Party.

Private sector

That part of the economy that is owned and run by private interests, rather than the state, usually along capitalist lines.

Political consensus

Significant overlap, or similarity, in the policies of the leading parties (or, more usually, their leaders) producing a noticeable continuity in governmental practice.

Keynesian economics

Economic theory based on the writings of the Cambridge economist, J.M. Keynes, which dominated thinking from the Second World War until the 1970s. In essence, it involves a belief that government should use economic policy to iron out the fluctuations of the market, in order to control the level of employment and maximise productive efficiency. Regulating demand can encourage growth when necessary, or hold it back when there is danger of the economy overheating.

Socialism

A political philosophy holding that economic activity should be communally owned and geared towards the needs of society as a whole, rather than the individual. In the British tradition the necessary transformation has generally been seen as a gradualist, rather than revolutionary, process.

Clause IV

A clause in the Labour Party constitution that committed Labour to the common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange – in other words, the progressive nationalisation of British industry.

Balance of payments

The relationship between the value of a country’s exports and imports, measured in terms of goods and services. A ‘favourable balance’ is achieved if the value of exports exceeds that of imports.

Bank rate

The rate of interest at which the Bank of England lends money, which in turn determines the rate at which the high street banks lend to the public. Increasingly used in the 1960s to cool an overheating economy.

Hustings

Literally, the platform from which a candidate gives his election address. Now used more generally to describe election campaign activity.

New Right

Term used to describe those Conservatives who followed Margaret Thatcher and Keith Joseph in their belief that the party should abandon much of the post-war settlement and re-establish its free market, small state credentials, giving priority to the elimination of inflation, even if this meant higher unemployment.

Inflation

A process of continual price rises and of the falling value of money, usually measured by the Retail Price Index and, more recently, by the Consumer Prices Index.

Consumerism

An economic situation founded on the continuing sale and purchase of consumer goods.

Devaluation

A formal move taken by government in a period of fixed exchange rates to reduce the value of its currency in relation to those of other countries. It has the practical effect of making exports more competitive. The pound was devalued in this way in 1949 and 1967.

Hire-purchase agreements

Means of buying goods through a series of part-payments over a period of time, generally at a higher overall cost than for ordinary purchase.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)

A military alliance created following the Second World War to counter the threat of the USSR and its allies and retain the involvement of the USA in Europe.

Eurosceptic

Individuals doubting the value of EEC membership, regarding it as a threat to national sovereignty and prosperity.

Benelux countries

A shorthand way of referring to Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Deflation

A measurement of the price level of goods and services and the opposite of inflation, deflation is when this measurement falls below zero. If the price of goods is rising too fast, deflationary measures, i.e. measures that decrease the price of goods, might be called for.

Corporatism

The idea that the government, trade unions and businesses can sit together and discuss future policy in order to sort out issues like pay increases and strikes.

Private Members’ Bill (PMB)

A bill introduced to parliament by a member of the House of Commons or Lords who is not in the government.

White paper

This document presents the government’s findings and intentions on a particular policy area. It does also allow for a degree of discussion before legislation is introduced.

Wildcat strikes

Action taken by members of a union, but usually without the knowledge or approval of the union leaders.

Leak

Information, which an organisation had officially decided to keep secret, released from the organisation to the press or other outsiders.

National Service

A peacetime continuation of conscription into the armed forces. The National Service Act (1947) originally provided for 18 months of service, but this was raised to two years in 1950.

Bipartisan

Common to the two leading political parties.

Gross national product

The total value of all the goods and services produced in one year by the residents of a country, including income from overseas investments. ‘Gross Domestic Product’ excludes overseas investments.

Hustings

election campaign activity

New Right

Conservatives who followed Margaret Thatcher and Keith Joseph in their belief that the party should abandon much of the post-war settlement and re-establish its free market, small state credentials, giving priority to the elimination of inflation, even if this meant higher unemployment.

National Service

conscription into the armed forces, during peacetime

Tripartite System

three types of school provided secondary education: grammar, technical and secondary modern

Deflation

a measurement of the price level of goods and services and the opposite of inflation

Corporatism

the idea that the government, trade unions and businesses can sit together and discuss future policy in order to sort out issues like pay increases and strikes

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)

a military alliance created following the Second World War to counter the threat of the USSR and its allies and retain the involvement of the USA in Europe

Eurosceptic

individuals doubting the value of EEC membership, regarding it as a threat to national sovereignty and prosperity

Laissez-faire

a policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interfering

Dirigiste

an economy in which the government exerts strong directive influence.

Free markets

unregulated or minimally regulated processes of buying and selling of goods and services

State socialism

a version of socialism advanced, not by revolution, but by the progressive intervention of elected governments of the left to alter society and the economy

New Right

conservatives wanting to abandon the post-war settlement and re-establish a free market

The Troubled

an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland

New Labour

The brand name of British Labour, developed by and associated with Tony Blair

Unilateralist

One party/member nation acting independently from others

Bernadette Devlin

an Irish civil rights activist, and politician

Green Balence

a political programme or view in which ecological issues take priority over others

Proprioartional Representtation

an electoral system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them.

Toseach

an Irish Gaelic word for chief, leader, or captain

The 'Troubles'

A deep dived among province communitys

The 1944 Butler

Provided for a tripartite system of secondary edu.

British Commonwealth

an intergovernmental organisation mostly of former British colonies that have become independent.

Tripartie System

types of schools like grimmer, Technical for less sckils jobs.

Thatcherism

is a form of British conservative ideology named after Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

Socially Libril

a political ideology and a variety of liberalism with a focus on social justice