(2) Domestic policies and Post-War consensus
Continuity From Atlee in 1945
• Conservative govts accepted and furthered many of reforms from Atlee govt.
• NHS already become popular- Churchill and his successors realised the public
wanted this protected.
• Attitudes to govt intervention changed during WW2 – both public and Tories
accepted that the govt could play a significant and positive role in economy and in
lives of all
• Memories of Great Depression of 30s – the poverty and unemployment of this era
had been exacerbated by govt inaction
• Post-War consensus- period which there was a broad agreement among Tories and
Labour govt on a range of major policy issues (1945-79)
• Tories and Labour agreed on – Mixed economy, NHS, Welfare state (benefits), aim of
full employment, working with employers and Trade Unions.
• Still critics of consensus both on left (wanted more nationalisation) and right
(suspicious of power of Trade Unions) of the spectrum- Consensus also called
‘Butskellism’ (Butler and Gaitskell).
Domestic policies of 1951-64 govts
• Churchill promised (1951 election) to build 300k houses p/a- partly in order to
rebuild housing stock which had been destroyed during war- also an attempt to
replace slum housing of pre-War era- Macmillan (Minister of housing) played key
role in implementing these policies
• Butler education Act of 1944- established grammar, secondary modern and technical
(severe lack of tech school due to huge costs) schools – children took 11+ exam to
determine which type of school they would attend- significant criticisms of tripartite
system, and questions were being raised concerning fairness e.g., availability of
tutors
• Social reform – Clean Air act 1956- prevent smog
• Housing act 1957 and 61 and factories acts of 1959 and 61. Attempts to improve
living and working conditions for people of Britain
• More liberal attitudes – Homicide Act – 1957 – restricted use of death penalty.
Wolfenden commission recommended the decriminalisation of homosexual
behaviour.
Continuity From Atlee in 1945
• Conservative govts accepted and furthered many of reforms from Atlee govt.
• NHS already become popular- Churchill and his successors realised the public
wanted this protected.
• Attitudes to govt intervention changed during WW2 – both public and Tories
accepted that the govt could play a significant and positive role in economy and in
lives of all
• Memories of Great Depression of 30s – the poverty and unemployment of this era
had been exacerbated by govt inaction
• Post-War consensus- period which there was a broad agreement among Tories and
Labour govt on a range of major policy issues (1945-79)
• Tories and Labour agreed on – Mixed economy, NHS, Welfare state (benefits), aim of
full employment, working with employers and Trade Unions.
• Still critics of consensus both on left (wanted more nationalisation) and right
(suspicious of power of Trade Unions) of the spectrum- Consensus also called
‘Butskellism’ (Butler and Gaitskell).
Domestic policies of 1951-64 govts
• Churchill promised (1951 election) to build 300k houses p/a- partly in order to
rebuild housing stock which had been destroyed during war- also an attempt to
replace slum housing of pre-War era- Macmillan (Minister of housing) played key
role in implementing these policies
• Butler education Act of 1944- established grammar, secondary modern and technical
(severe lack of tech school due to huge costs) schools – children took 11+ exam to
determine which type of school they would attend- significant criticisms of tripartite
system, and questions were being raised concerning fairness e.g., availability of
tutors
• Social reform – Clean Air act 1956- prevent smog
• Housing act 1957 and 61 and factories acts of 1959 and 61. Attempts to improve
living and working conditions for people of Britain
• More liberal attitudes – Homicide Act – 1957 – restricted use of death penalty.
Wolfenden commission recommended the decriminalisation of homosexual
behaviour.
