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Consensus (1951: End of Austerity : Labour was important in government,…
Consensus
1951: End of Austerity : Labour was important in government, employment and beginning of Post-war boom.
1951: Labour lost power: difficult times economically. However the years between 51 and 97 were led by the Attlee legacy and Blair
Economy + society: Made to be more equitable: For decades long post war boom 1951-73--> economic prosperity and full employment. Good economic times came to an end in 193 w/ OPEC oil Crisis (rising the price of oil internationally). Other positive changes throughout the post war years: EEC founded, integration : Cold War fear of communism. Important social changes= Women, Youth, immigration
End of Consensus: thatcher: Rejected it completely and changed policies leading to the Thatcher revolution + legacy.
Attlee Legacy 1947-1951: 1951 end of his time in Parliament. Nationalization + Creation of Welfare state. Rose from Crisis in Mid 40s. Fully employment --> Pos-war boom. BEVIN was foreign secretary special relation with the US carried out Attlee legacy corresponds to the policies he installed during his time and how they were foundation ground to the consensus. .
Politics and government during consensus What order, which PMs : from 51 to 64 dominated by the 1 nation Tories (Labour re-elected in 1964 because of social changes). Churchill,Eden, macmillan, heath. From 1964 until 79 mostly Labour: Wilson, Callaghan (tried to make a U-tunr W/ the Trade Unions). Heath again. 79-90 Thatcherite view and revolution --> put an end to consensus and stayed in Parliament for 11 years. Labour had become Fragile Major tried to adjust the Thatcher Fall.Labour had been faced with divisions and was starting to fade away. --> in the 80s Labour had become unelectable.
What does consensus mean: a general agreement in ways of ruling and policies. Consensus lasted all throughout the post-war boom and even during the severe recession in 1973. It ended when Thatcher was elected (she heavily criticized consensus and geared drastic change leading to lasting confusions on whether or not there had been a continuous decline in British economy).
The war coalition and the PWM that initiated somewhat of a feeling o unity and social Change in Britain about became more popular because it seemed to respond to the populations need better. A new breed of conservatives merged the 1 nation Tories with R.A. Butler Chancellor of the exchequer and Macmillan minister of housing + defense.They were younger and more concerned with social and economic Welfare. After Churchill's admin. another election was called and won by the conservatives (majority in Parliament).
Winston Churchill failed to be re elected right after the war but was a elected PM for the 2nd time from 1951-55. He was specialized in foreign affairs previously but this time was older and weaker and luckily during the time of his administration little happened. He dealt with domestic issues mostly though it wasn't attractive to him. He was PM during a time of economic prosperity.
Was there a consensus Attlee to Thatcher: 1951: not intentionally change the relation between the government and the people --> beginning promising there was full employment, post war boom and better health due to Welfare state.
POST WAR CONSENSUS: National unity: PWM --> pursued by Attlee gov. --> continuity in British society : ended by Thatcher
Legacy of the war years : coalition government majorly conservative led but Labour also. Had all had the same education and went through the same experience during the war: they understood and generally agreed on what the British population needed --> eased the way to creating national unity and continuity.
Some diagreements... Carry on Attlee's policy: socialist mistake , economic failures during consensus (--> stop-go). Conservative said too socialist leading to too much spending and decline in industry, others said not socialist enough.
Political tensions some internal divisions especially within Labour.
Labour Party should have modernized and reformed its SDP like Germany it would have strengthened the consensus (since economic issues ensued).
Thatcher put an end to consensus and managed to hide divisions until her fall
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Regarding foreign policy invested in fighting against communist during the Cold War even though they refused to integrate the EEC immediately which turned out to be a bad decision. --> They gradually accepted that they were losing some of their prestige. Especially after the Suez Crisis.They were more keen on maintaining the US and British special relationship.