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POST WAR CONSENSUS 1945-79 - Coggle Diagram
POST WAR CONSENSUS 1945-79
ATTLEE GOVERNMENT 1945-51
'Middle Way' government
Labour won a landslide victory in General Election
Attlee was seen as a 'man of the people'.
Campaigns of 'let us face the future' beat Churchill's lacklustre effort (+Gestapo speech)
Attlee used policies highlighted in 1942 Beveridge Report (very popular)
A shift in public attitudes.
1944 Butler Education Act: established a
tripartite system
(secondary modern- 75% WC, technical, and grammar schools- 11+ exam) and raised the school leaving age to 15. By 1947, 5.5 million students remained in school.
1945 Family Allowance Act: benefits, 5 shillings a week for each child (except eldest) and payed to the
mother
.
1946 National Insurances Act: benefits paid for by taxes, for unemployment, sickness, child support.
1948 NHS established: treatment relied on the wealth of an individual- wealthy could afford private healthcare, poorest left to self-medicate. Health insurance was dominated by Friendly Societies (Prudential dealt with 75% of health insurance) which were ineffective as they were non-compulsory and unregulated. WW2 shifted public attitudes and peoples expectations for healthcare improved.
1946 New Towns Act: increased housing, 2 million homes had been destroyed in the Blitz
Labour lost 1950 election: there was growing dissatisfaction with rationing, period of austerity and standard rates of taxation were almost at 50%. Conservative Party were seen as united- strong.
'13 GOLDEN YEARS'
13 'WASTED YEARS'?
Productivity was the lowest in Eastern Europe.
'Stop-Go' economy hampered growth and prevented investments- good short-term option.
British application to join EEC was vetoed.
A lack of investment in manufacturing- Germany and Japan took lead.
Share of world exports of manufactured goods fell significantly
CHURCHILL
Poor health.
Lacked passion after war.
Retired.
1951-55
EDEN
Young and popular.
Forced to resign after Suez Crisis (US refused to loan- embarrassment).
1955-57
MACMILLAN
1957-64
Nicknamed 'Supermac'
'You've never had it so good'
Housing: mortgages became more available. In 1952, housing subsidy increased from £25 to £35. In 1954, 354,000 houses were built.
1959 Mental Health Act: patients referred to as 'mentally ill' instead, open-door policy, and a team of judges set up to decide the treatment for serious cases (stopped mistreatment)
Economy: 1951-64 Britain's economy grew by 40%, wages rose by 72%, inflation stayed around 4% and unemployment was around 2%
Consumerism: higher wages= more disposable income- by 1964, 90% of British population owned a TV and car ownership quadrupled to 8 million.
Wartime
rationing
ended in 1954.
Conservative dominance declined by 1962, increased consumer spending led to inflation and people had become more opposed to the 'establishment'.
HAROLD WILSON 1964-1970
New Universities and polytechnics built (1960 Robbins Report) and the Open University was created in 1969.
OU reached 70,000 attending students between the years 1971-79
Many liberal reforms:
1965 Race Relations Act
It banned racial discrimination in
public
places and made the promotion of hatred on the grounds of 'colour, race, or ethnic or national origins' an offence.
1967 Abortion Act
Abortion limit of 28 weeks
with conditions
Number of abortions essentially doubled by 1970.
1967 Family Planning Act
Made the pill available in the NHS and advice free to ALL (unmarried women included)
1967 Sexual Offences Act
Legalised gay sex
over the age of 21
Death penalty abolished in 1969
1970 Equal Pay Act
Woman given the same rate of pay as men are earning in their establishment.
Departments created: Ministry of Technology, and Department of Economic affairs
Wilson's ambitious plans to invest in technology showed enthusiasm for consensus
Economic problems stayed consistent. Union unrest with high numbers of unemployment. Wilson was eventually forced to devalue the pound.
EDWARD HEATH 1970-74
WILSON AND CALLAGHAN 1974-79
CONSENSUS POLICIES
Mixed economy.
Universal healthcare.
Welfare state.
Full employment.
Cooperation with trade unions.
KEYNESIAN ECONOMICS
The idea that governments should play an active role in their countries' economies, instead of just letting the free market reign.
Short-term, demand side, focus on stabilisation (controlling GDP and unemployment)
Secured a welfare state
High taxes towards government spending.