Post-War Britain

Conservatives accept

Welfare Stata, pursuit of full employment and 'mixed' economy and decolonization.

Era of Consensus

1945-70. Conservative and Labour agrees on main 'pillars' of policy and they both move towards each other.

Government after 1945

Although Labour set the agenda with Attlee for post-war politics the Conservative Party has dominated office.

1950s economy

Because industries in Britain was less damaged than the rest of continental Europe, Britain was the largest Economy well into the 1950s. The industry was doing well, but underlying problems were ignored.

Churchill out of office

Churchill was probably thrown out of office due to the thought of him as a war-man and not a peace-man. Or was it the Conservative Party that was thrown out due to the appeasement policy before the war?

Build-up of the British Welfare State

Comprehensive set of policies and laws aimed to provide universal security; 'free at the point of delivery' shaped by: National Insurance Act 1946: Unemployment benefit, National Health Service of 1948: 'Free' health care for everyone, and the Housing for a reasonable cost (1945-51).

Social development working class

Economic problems = social problems. The decline of traditional heavy industries equals unemployment and social problems (especially in coal mining districts Wales).

Impact of WW2

Golden age of sociability and solidarity? Or unleash of forces that later undermined social cohesion?

Social development middle class

Growth in service sector leads to increasing wealth for the middle class and the emergence of modern consumer society.

India's independence

In 1947 India gains independence and is divided into a hindu India and a muslim Pakistan.

Suez Crisis

In 1956 British and French forces attempt to regain control over the Suez Canal. This failed and was an embarrassment to the British Government. Suez signified end of Britain's status as a independent Great Power, and Britain must back down because of lack of support of US.

Wake of Suez

In the wake of the Suez crisis most of what remained of the British Empire gradually liquidated and replaced by Commonwealth. Britain is reduced to 'island home'.

Complaceney towards renewal

Industry and products increasingly becomes obsolete. British manufacturers began struggling with standard of quality and are falling behind main competitors.

The Big Three

Initial policy aimed at remaining alongside the 'Super powers' = military expenditure, army and nuclear.

General election in 1945

Landslide victory for the Labour Party under Clement Attlee. Labour returned with a majority a House of Commons for the first time.

Emergence of a multicultural society

Large scale of immigration from former colonies after the WW2. during the 1940s, 50s and 60s. By 2005 4 million people call themselves non-ethinc-white in Britain.

Keynes economical theories

State intervene in market, facilitate economic growth and development of expenditure and regulations. Taxation will also be a political tool to re-distribute wealth more equally.

Nationalisation 1945-51

State take-over of 'core'/'central' industries and businesses (from private to communal. Bank of England, Coal, Railways, gas, electricity, steel, long-distance transport.

Special relationship with America

Supporting US in the cold war and the founding member of NATO. But wanted to separate British nuclear deterrent to underline independence, but this was unsuccessful, Britain rely on US.

Winter of Disconsent, 1978-79.

The peak of industrial conflict and action. The whole British society would grind to halt and everything is chaos.

Poor industrial relations

There is a hostile climate at work: employer vs. employee /(employer's union + Trade Unions).

The Welfare State

There was a growing desire of implement the Labour Party's great project in full: the Welfare State and the economic planning based on Keynesian economics.

Attempted trade relations

There were attempt to continue trade relations with former colonies through the Commonwealth, and this was initially successful. But it lost importance as British trade increasingly shifted towards the new European Economic Community (EEC) in the 1960's.

Trade Unions

Trade Unions resisted change, particularly the old and declining heavy industries (coal, steel). British management earned a reputation of incompetence, 'old-boys network' which made industry paralyzed by conflict and industrial action.

Labour accept

a society of inequality, no socialism over social democracy; better society built through existing political institutions and gradual reforms.

Industrial crisis - malaise anglaise

at the end of the 1950s British industry gradually come into crisis and looses competitiveness by 1970s. Due to the lack of damage during the war nothing new was built like it was in France, Italia and Germany. Britain is stuck with old equipment and facilities.