Detailed revision notes for the years in Britain for History A-level. These notes helped me get an A* for History A-level. Sourced from my class notes, AQA history textbooks and reliable online websites. These notes are all you need to get A* British History essays and will make revising way easie...
Wilson’s ideology + leadership
☺ Seen as classless + image far removed from old Etonian style of Home.
☺ First PM state school educated/hard Yorkshire accent.
☺ Relaxed + skillful performer on TV.
Paranoid about being challenged.
Relied heavily on personal team of trusted advisors from outside government + civil service.
Team dominated by personality of Marcia Williams (personal political sec).
‘Kitchen cabinet’- reinforced his suspicions of party rivalries/prevented ministers’ access to him.
o Appeal to Left:
Originally thought to have been on left of Labour- resigned with Bevan over prescription charges 1950.
Launched leadership bid against Gaitskell 1961.
o Appeal to Right:
Served Gaitskell’s shadow cabinet.
In fav of Britain developing nuclear weapons.
Attempted to reform Trade Unions 1969.
Economic problems
o Key focus = modernisation- Britain lagging behind more advanced economies.
o Aimed to end ‘stop-go’ economics of 50s- bursts of prosperity always leading to inflation.
Rising inflation.
Runs on the pound.
Regular balance of payment crises.
Inherited huge £800m deficit.
o Faced with 2 main policy choices:
1. Deflation = prop up sterling/prevent rise in inflation but would effectively continue stop-go.
2. Devaluation = assist balance of payments problem by helping Britain’s exports become cheaper but
emphasised economic weakness.
• Wilson didn’t want Labour to become party of devaluation (Attlee devalued 1949).
Economic policies:
o 1964 set up Department of Economic Affairs (Brown).
Set growth targets + created economic planning councils.
Failed as overlapped with treasury + role of Chancellor (Callaghan)- rivalry between Brown + Callaghan.
Brown- unreliable leadership- drinking problem + lacked consistency.
Abandoned 1969.
o 1965 set up National Board for Prices + Incomes.
Attempt to solve inflation problem by managing wages + prices
Aimed to work with business + Trade Unions to fix wages + price settlements.
Trade Unions (more Left-Wing)- difficult to work with over incomes policy.
Wilson was too focused on balancing rivals not ensuing policy success.
Devaluation
o 1966- sterling crisis partly due to National Union of Seaman strike.
Demanded 17% pay rise (well beyond Brown’s 3.5% max)- corporatism clearly not working.
Led to £40m loss in income due to falling exports- effected balance of payments + put more pressure on
the pound.
Trade Unions growing tension- Cousins resigned from cabinet over incomes policy.
• Relationship between government + Trade Unions breaking down.
• Wilson’s very critical ‘enemies of the nation’ speech.
o 1967- sterling crisis
Outbreak of war in Middle East affected air supplies/trade flows.
Major dock strikes affected balance of payments.
Loss of production harmed exports putting even more pressure on the pound.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller emilia929. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £8.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
