How far did living standards change in Britain 1918-79?
1918-39 Regional variations
- Two-year post-war boom, ending in 1920 - Older houses could be bought for £125 in less affluent
- Government spending increased at the end of the 1930s areas
to prepare the country for war, stimulating economic - Unemployment peaked at 3 million and was long-term –
recovery - 62% of shipbuilders were unemployed in 1932 vs 20% in
- Short-lived boom failed to generate levels of high car manufacturing
employment needed to absorb the large numbers of men - Jarrow march drew sympathy but no action
demobilising from the Army - Car ownership at 20% in the south but 12% in the north
- Caused an economic crisis and decline in living standards,
exuberated by the Great Depression of the 1930s 1939-51
- Regional differences Total War
- During WW2, the government intervened directly in the
Real income and the consumer boom supply of food, clothing and other essential items
- Prices fell faster than wages meaning the cost of living fell - People had better employment prospects and pay
by 1/3 in 1920-38 o E.g. jobs created for civilian munitions offered good
- Increased use of contraception meant family sizes pay and working conditions after negotiations with TUs
decreased e.g. in 1920, 2.19 children vs 4.6 in 1880 o Average pay increased during the war
- Household electrical appliances could be bought on credit, o 7 million women in war effort
common for the middle-class in the 1930s - Living standards pressurised through rationing
- Electricity supplied to more homes, particularly middle- o Vast majority of the population had the same access to
class food and resources
- 1930 200,000 vacuum cleaners sold, doubled to 400,000 o People encouraged to grow fruit and vegetables and
in 1938 cook nutritiously
- 300% increase in the sales of electric cookers from 1930- o Restaurants became subject to rationing controls in
35 1942, preventing resentment from the working-class
- After short post-war consumer boom, there was a severe who saw wealthier Britons avoiding the rationing
recession in 1921 restrictions
- 1 million unemployed at the end of 1920, and never fell o Evident that people were healthier by the end of the
below 1 million in the 1930s war as food was supplemented by vitamins and
- Until 1934, many families were on less than £5 per week minerals – infant mortality fell, possibly accounting for
the post-war baby boom
Health and diet - Bombing of British cities destroyed many homes
- War killed 700,000 and wounded 1.6 million men o Offered the opportunity to rebuild modern homes with
- 1914 Education Act provided school meals bathrooms, kitchens and gardens
- Wider variety of foodstuffs such as fruit imported, o 40,000 deaths and the destruction of 2 million homes
improving diets o Rural areas were not directly affected
- Prices of basic food stuff fell
- Immediate post-war years saw austerity
