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The Making of Modern Britain - Coggle Diagram
The Making of Modern Britain
Post War Consensus - 1945 / 1949
The period in which main UK political parties agreed on major policy areas
Depression of 1930's and WW2 illustrated the need for changes to benefit society
Increased support for state intervention
Beveridge Report (1942)
Written by William Beveridge
Declared that there were five "giants on the road to reconstruction"
Want
adequate income for all
Disease
access to healthcare
Ignorance
good education
Squalor
adequate housing
Idleness
gainful employment
Parties agreed on; Mixed economy w/ some state owned industry and some private
full employment and using keynesian economics
Support for NHS and the welfare state
Working with employers and Trade Unions
Left of Labour felt this didnt go far enough, Right conservatives felt the state was doing too much
Ended by Margaret Thatcher
Why was there a Post War consensus?
Legacy of National Unity
Conservatives convinced of need for a "big government"
Full Employment - Post WW2 fears, didn't want to be seen as a party of unemployment
Importance of Trade Unions - Conservatives wanted a co-operative relationship
Conservative governments; 1951 - 1964
1951
Background
1945; Clement Attlee Labour Party won a landslide victory in the General Election; majority of 146 seats
Replaced Churchill as prime minister, made far-reaching changes to the UK;
Established the Welfare State
Extended system of National insurance and NHS
Nationalisation of Key Industries; railways, iron, coal, steel
Clement Attlee's Legacy
Welfare State
Using the recommendations of the Beveridge report, Labour implemented a system of National Insurance and NHS - provided a system of social care for each citizen
NATO
Played a key role in the formation of NATO in 1949 - defensive alliance
Nuclear Power
Started the programme that turned Britain into a nuclear power; 1947 Labour initiated research that led to Atom Bombs and Hydrogen Bombs
Housing
Initiated a major housing programme - resulted in a million houses being built
Nationalisation
Government owned businesses
1950; General election saw Labours majority cut to 5, not sustainable and Attlee had to call another election a year later
1951 Election
Labour had slightly more votes; however Conservatives won due to FPTP
Winston Churchill returns as prime minister; a position he holds until '55
Labour politicians said Churchills best days were past - thought conservatives would be unable to tackle Britains significant economic difficulties
Conservatives in power until 1964
Why was Labour defeated in 1951?
Atlees Government was worn down
Heavy economic and financial difficulties coupled with divisions between the right and left of the party over prescription costs and nuclear weapons
Economic problems: war time debts, balance of payments crisis, declining exports, heavy demands on fuel and power supplies
Industrial concerns: trade union unrest regarding Labour policies
Bevanite rebellions