ESSAY PLANS
A changing political and economic environment – economic challenges and political
landscape
Creating a welfare state – education and widening opportunities
Society in transition – race and immigration
The changing quality of life – changing living standards, popular culture and
entertainment, leisure and travel
Historical interpretations – the impact of Thatcher’s governments 1979-97
1. How far do you agree that the landslide victory of the Labour party in the 1945
general election was only possible because of Britain’s experience in the Second
World War?
2. How accurate is it to say that there was little difference between the political
and economic policies of Labour and the Conservative governments 1945-79?
3. Was the extension of franchise the main reason for changing party fortunes in
the years 1918-31?
4. How accurate is it to say that the all of the Labour governments in 1924 and
1929-31 was primarily because they were viewed as political extremists?
5. How accurate is it to say that the National Government dealt successfully with
the challenges it faced during the years 1931-45?
6. How accurate is it to say that, in the years 1918-45, the economic challenges
Britain faced were the main factors in shaping the political landscape?
7. How far does the economic effect of the Second World War explain Britain’s
relative economic decline in 1945-79?
8. How far do you agree that Britain experienced economic progress in the years
1918-39?
9. How effectively did Conservative and Labour governments address Britain’s
economic problems between 1945 and 1970?
10. How far do you agree that the growth of university education was the most
significant development in education in the years 1918-79?
11. How accurate is it to say that there were few significant improvements in
education provision in the years 1918-43?
12. How far did the British governments fight racial discrimination in the period
1918-79?
13. How far was racism a dominant feature of British society from 1958-79?
14. How accurate is it to say that the most significant influence on quality of life
in Britain in the years 1918-51 was regional differences?
15. How accurate is it to say that living standards saw a sustained improvement
in the years 1918-79?
16. How accurate is it to say that the most important development in popular
culture in the post-war period was the growth of television?
17. How far do you agree that living standards were in a state of crisis in the
years 1918-45?
18. How accurate is it to say that the growth of youth culture was the most
significant development in popular culture in the years 1950-79?
19. How far do you agree that, in the years 1918-79, the most significant factor
in improving leisure and travel was the growth of car ownership?
20. How accurate is it to say that increased leisure time was the
most important factor in the development of the holiday industry in the years
1918-39?
21. How far do you agree that, in the years, 1918-79, the most
significant factor in improving leisure and travel was the growth in spectator
sports?
,22. In light of differing interpretations, how convincing do you find
the view that, in the years 1979-97, Thatcher’s governments had an impact on
Britain that was both substantial and enduring? (October 2020)
23. In the light of differing interpretations, how convincing do you find the view
that Thatcher’s privatisation policies bought benefits to the British people?
How far do you agree that the landslide victory of the Labour party in
the 1945 general election was only possible because of Britain’s
experience in the Second World War?
LOA: The Second World war was the most significant factor in causing Labour’s
landslide victory
Key
- Was significant in causing Labour’s landslide victory
- Wasn’t significant in causing Labour’s landslide victory
Introduction
- Labour achieved a landslide victory of 47.5% of the vote in the 1945 General
Election
- Result of a number of factors including their optimistic campaign and long-
term reasons in which Labour was able to prove that they were a strong
party to govern
- WW2 was the most significant factor in Labour’s victory largely due to the
fact that the British people experienced universality of suffering, resulting in
people being more supportive of Labour’s policies, such as the expansion of
the welfare state and the NHS
- The significance of the experience of WW2 is arguably limited by the extent
of Labour’s successes prior to the war, though the fact that the 1930s were a
period of Conservative dominance supports the idea that WW2 was essential
in helping Labour achieve their landslide victory
Paragraph 1 – WW2
- The war meant people accumulated a desire for a strong, united party that
were willing to prioritise building back a better Britain, bringing hope for the
future – evident in Labour’s optimistic and progressive “Let Us Face the
Future” campaign
- Attlee successfully ran the home front as deputy PM during the war
meaning he was able to showcase his strong leadership skills, making people
trust and feel more inclined to vote Labour
- Churchill successful in war but not as much peacetime, as he himself
expressed “I have no message for them now”
- People experienced nationalisation of mines (a key Labour policy) which
increased employment and efficiency in key industries, modernised them,
lowered prices and improved working conditions, making the economy
stronger
- Universality of suffering through rationing, conscription, evacuation etc
led to social intergration, making the middle-class more sympathetic and
therefore more in favour of Labour’s policies such as the welfare state and
the Beveridge Report
- Emergency medical services were state run during the war, giving people
a taste of the NHS
,Paragraph 2 – Long-term reasons
- Allowed them to strengthen their credible campaign, enabling the
achievement of 393 seats
- Labour consistently reminded voters of the ‘Hungry 30s’, a period of mass
unemployment, depression and hunger marches – all horrors under a
Conservative government
- Several broken conservative promises, e.g. their failure to cope with the
1931 financial crisis and Chamberlain’s failed “Policy of Appeasement”, 1919
Addison Act only built 213,000/500,000 promised homes
- Labour strengthened their appeal in previous achievements which
helped the people gain trust, e.g. 1924 Wheatley Housing Act helped
generate employment in the depressed construction industry and build
homes for low income workers through government subsidies
- WW2 allowed Attlee to show his capability as he ran the home front as
deputy PM
- Labour only spent a short time in office prior to the war (1924 and 1929-31)
meaning the public mainly based their voting decisions off their successful
handling of the home front
Paragraph 3 – Campaign
- “Let Us Face the Future” manifesto was optimistic and progressive as it
offered housing, jobs, social security and an NHS, and a New Jerusalem
- Strong opponent to Churchill’s dull “Declaration of Policy to the
Electors” which largely focussed on foreign policy and had a laissez-faire
outlook on political and economic matters, supporting the argument he was a
less successful leader in peacetime
- Manifesto was based on the Beveridge Report of 1942 which aimed to
destroy the five evils of disease, squalor, idleness, ignorance and want,
through the provision of ‘cradle to grave welfare’ – support exemplified by
the fact it sold 500,000 copies by the 1945 election
- 1944 Butler Act which aimed to make secondary education free and
accessible to all was proudly supported by Labour, but Conservatives
remained neutral
- Arguable there wouldn’t have been a demand for welfare without the
experience of WW2
- Would have arguably been inefficient without the presence of long-term
reasons that caused a lack of trust in Conservatives, e.g. LG’s broken
promise of ‘Homes Fit for Heroes’ for returning troops that as insufficient
because of the 1921 Geddes Axe which caused social expenditure to fall from
£205 million in 1920-21 to £182.1 million in 1922-23
Conclusion
- The experience of WW2 was the most important factor in causing Labour’s
landslide victory
- Opened the eyes of the middle-class, allowing them to sympathise with the
working-class due to social intergration meaning they were more in favour of
Labour policies such as nationalisation which ensured better working
conditions
- Attlee’s success in running the home front allowed him to prove himself as a
strong leader
, - Important to consider the long-term causes that accounted towards their
success e.g. the ‘Hungry 30s’ – a period of Conservative dominance in which
the people experienced mass unemployment and depression
- Broken Conservative promises were effectively highlighted in Labour’s
manifesto, allowing them to strengthen their appeal and gain votes
- Nonetheless, it is arguable as to whether the demand for increased welfare
would have been as high without the experience of war – a key aspect of
Labour’s campaign as they were enthusiastic about the creation of an NHS
and the Beveridge Report
- Conservatives lacked passion with regards to welfare
How accurate is it to say that there was little difference between the
political and economic policies of Labour and the Conservative
governments 1945-79?
LOA: Largely accurate as there was a sustained post-war consensus but limited
by the fact they disagreed on detail
Key
- Little differences between the policies
- Large differences between the policies
Introduction
- Political consensus in the post-war period in which major parties tended to
agree on principles such as economic intervention and the maintenance of
social welfare
- Began to fade by the 1970s and was shattered by Thatcher’s Conservative
government of 1979, which largely supported the movement of free market
forces
- Conservative continuation of the welfare state, and NHS
- Arguable there was a lack of clear agreement between the two parties as
Conservatives referred to Labour as ‘socialists’ suggesting an ideological
difference between the parties
- Difference in detail and emphasis in the implementation of policies
Paragraph 1 – Social policies
