What percentage of seats did Labour win in the July 1945 general election?;61.

4%;H1
What significant social change occurred in Britain as a result of WWII?;Increased
aspirations for a fairer, less class-ridden society.;H1
Why did Churchill lose the 1945 election despite his war-time popularity?;His
leadership qualities were ill-suited for peacetime politics, and his campaign was
perceived as aggressive.;H1
What was Labour's main promise that appealed to the electorate in 1945?;To
implement key reforms towards social justice and equality.;H1
Between which years did the Labour government implement the Beveridge Report's
proposals?;1946-1948;H1
What groundbreaking policy did the National Health Service (NHS) introduce in
1948?;Free medical care for all British citizens.;H1
What was a significant criticism of the NHS shortly after its implementation?;Many
medical practitioners feared state intrusion in their prerogatives.;H1
What economic principle did Labour's post-war economic policy follow?;Keynesian
principles, emphasizing increased state control over the economy.;H1
How much of the British economy was state-directed by 1951?;About 20%;H1
What was the size of the loan secured from the USA and Canada by Britain in
1946?;Nearly $5 billion;H1
By how much did fighting Axis forces increase Britain's military spending during
WWII?;Quintupled;H1
What was the balance of payments deficit Britain faced post-WWII?;£750 million;H1
What significant foreign policy stance did Attlee’s government maintain?;A staunch
US ally and committed to opposing communism.;H1
In what year did India gain independence from Britain?;1947;H1
What was the main reason Labour lost the 1951 election despite receiving more votes
than the Tories?;The first-past-the-post system resulted in fewer seats for Labour
in the House of Commons.;H1
What economic and social difficulties challenged social democracy in Britain during
the 1960s and 1970s?;Economic stagnation, unemployment, and stagflation.;H1
What was the 'Consensus' in post-war British politics?;An agreement between major
parties to sustain welfare state, Keynesian policies, and a mixed economy.;H1
What led to Britain's economic issues in the 1950s and 1960s?;Short-term economic
policies leading to stagflation and increasing unemployment.;H1
What was Britain's GDP growth rate between 1951 and 1964 compared to the European
average?;2.3% in Britain vs. 5% in West Germany, Italy, and France.;H1
How did unemployment change in Britain from 1951 to 1964?;Increased by two-thirds,
from 367,000 to half a million.;H1
What were the main economic problems Britain faced in the late 1960s and early
1970s?;Worsening stagflation, inflation jumping to 10% in 1971, and unemployment
reaching nearly 6% of the labor force.;H1
What factors contributed to the economic downturn in Britain from the late
1960s?;Domestic policies, Keynesian spending pressures, and the shift towards a
service economy.;H1
How did government spending as a percentage of GDP change from 1955 to 1980 in
Britain?;Increased from 35% to 44% of GDP.;H1
What was the effect of the 1973 oil crisis on Britain's economy?;Quadrupled oil
prices, causing fuel shortages and inflation.;H1
What solution did successive British governments seek for economic issues in the
1970s?;Limiting public spending and seeking loans, such as the £3 billion from the
IMF in 1976.;H1
What was the unemployment rate in Britain between WWII and the OPEC crisis of
1973?;Under 3%, but with fluctuating inflation.;H1
How did the OPEC crisis in 1973 affect Britain's inflation and GDP growth between
1973-4?;Inflation spiked to 22%, and GDP growth plummeted from 6% to -2%.;H1
How did Britain's GDP growth in the pre-Thatcher era compare to other major
European powers?;It was slower than that of other major European powers.;H1
What impact did the shift from industrial to service sectors have on British
employment from 1960 to 1981?;More than 1.6 million manufacturing jobs were
lost.;H1
How did the 1973 and 1979 oil crises affect global and British economies?;Caused
inflation and economic instability due to sharp increases in oil prices.;H1
What was Harold Macmillan's famous statement about the British economy in
1957?;"Britain had 'never had it so good'";H1
How did the 'Winter of Discontent' in 1978-79 affect British politics?;Contributed
to Margaret Thatcher's victory in 1979 by highlighting the failures of consensus
politics.;H1
What role did trade unions play in Britain's economic issues during the 1960s and
1970s?;Their increased demands and strikes contributed to economic instability.;H1
How did the government's relationship with trade unions complicate economic
reforms?;Close ties to the Labour Party made it difficult to limit trade unions'
powers.;H1
How did the number of working days lost to strikes change from the 1951-67 period
to the 1968-79 period?;Increased from an average of 3 million days lost per year to
11.6 million.;H1
What was the outcome of the National Plan and 'In Place of Strife'?;Both were
abandoned due to opposition and failure to control union power.;H1
What major economic challenge did Britain face in the 1970s, leading to an IMF loan
in 1976?;Needed to address a severe economic downturn, leading to austerity
measures.;H1
How did the end of the Bretton Woods system affect Britain?;Contributed to economic
instability and inflation due to floating currency rates.;H1
What was Thatcher's primary goal for Britain's economy?;To cure Britain of
inflation and disruptive trade unions by reducing the state's role.;H1
What tax was introduced by Thatcher at the end of her mandate?;The Community
Charge, more commonly known as the poll tax, in 1989-1990.;H1
How did Thatcherism aim to reform the welfare state?;By promoting self-reliance and
limiting dependency culture, reverting to Victorian virtues.;H1
What was the economic ideology behind Thatcher's reforms?;Neoliberalism,
emphasizing free market forces over state redistribution.;H1
What major opposition did the poll tax face?;It generated widespread opposition and
protests, leading to riots in London.;H1
Describe Thatcher's economic strategy for controlling inflation.;Adopting
monetarism, aiming to reduce money supply and cut government spending.;H1
How did Thatcher's government address unemployment and inflation?;Through
monetarism initially, then shifting to supply-side economics, known as
"Reaganomics".;H1
What significant economic change occurred in London due to Thatcher's policies?;The
"Big Bang" deregulation of financial markets in 1986, making London a global
financial center.;H1
How did Thatcherism impact public ownership?;Privatization of around fifty state-
owned enterprises, including British Coal and British Steel.;H1
What was Thatcher's approach to social housing?;The Right to Buy scheme allowed
council house tenants to buy their homes, increasing property ownership.;H1
How did Thatcher aim to limit government spending?;By deregulating transport,
education, and health, applying business principles to public services.;H1
What was Thatcher's stance on trade unions?;She aimed to reduce their power,
introducing laws to limit industrial actions and weaken union influence.;H1
What was the outcome of the 1984-5 miners' strike?;Thatcher's victory, leading to
the closure of unprofitable mines and reducing union power.;H1
How did Thatcher's foreign policy maintain continuity with previous governments?;By
reinforcing the "special relationship" with the US and attempting to solve Irish
terrorism diplomatically.;H1
What was Thatcher's position on European integration?;Initially Europhobic, she
paradoxically steered Britain towards closer economic and political commitment to
Europe.;H1
How did Thatcher's policies affect Britain's economy according to supporters?;They
alleviated economic issues, brought down inflation, and made the economy more
competitive.;H1
What was the peak unemployment rate in 1982 during the Thatcher Era, and how did it
change by 1990?;Peaked at 13% in 1982, then dropped back down to 6% by 1990.;H1
How did inflation fluctuate during the Thatcher Era from 1979 to 1990?;Inflation
fluctuated from 5% in 1979 to approximately 9.5% during Thatcher's tenure.;H1
What was the GDP growth rate in Britain at the beginning and end of Thatcher's
tenure, and its peak in 1988?;2.5% in 1979, -2% in 1980, peaked at 5.75% in 1988,
and was 2% in 1990.;H1
How did Thatcher's policies affect union membership from 1979 to 1990?;Union
membership decreased from 13 million in 1979 to under 10 million in 1990.;H1
What impact did the Falklands War have on Thatcher's satisfaction ratings?;The
military victory in the Falklands War resulted in a 32% gain in satisfaction for
Thatcher.;H1
How did taxes and government spending as a percentage of GDP change from 1978-79 to
1989-90 during the Thatcher Era?;Taxes increased from 33% to 35.4%, while spending
decreased from 42.5% to 38%.;H1
How did the Gini Index, a measure of income inequality, change from 1979 to 1990
under Thatcher?;The Gini Index increased from 25 in 1979 to 34 in 1990, indicating
a rise in income inequality.;H1
What paradoxes emerged from Thatcher's premiership?;Despite aiming to reduce the
state's role, taxes and government spending on social security benefits
increased.;H1
How did Thatcher's policies impact industrial disruptions?;Reduction in industrial
disruptions improved economic efficiency and competitiveness.;H1
What was a significant social impact of Thatcher's economic reforms?;Increased
materialism and selfishness, as critics argue, due to policies promoting
individualism.;H1
How did Thatcher's leadership style affect her party and the public?;Her conviction
politics and uncompromising approach led to divisions within the Conservative Party
and public unrest.;H1
What major international role did Thatcher play during her tenure?;She contributed
to the end of the Cold War, closely aligning with Ronald Reagan and supporting
anti-communist movements.;H1
What was the impact of the Single European Act under Thatcher?;It was the biggest
step towards a centralized Europe, despite Thatcher's anti-European stance.;H1
How did Thatcher's economic policies evolve over her premiership?;From focusing on
monetarism to adopting supply-side economics, aiming to boost production and
economic activity.;H1
What was the outcome of Thatcher's stance on European policy by the end of her
premiership?;Her isolation and eventual resignation, prompted by internal party
dissent over Europe.;H1
How has Thatcher's legacy persisted in British politics?;Her reforms remained
largely untouched, laying the basis for a new form of consensus in Britain's
economic and social policy.;H1
What was the primary purpose of the 1946 National Insurance Act in addressing the
Beveridge Report's "Want"?;Introduced compulsory tax for both employer and employee
to provide financial protection in the event of unemployment and sickness.;H1
How did the 1946 Industrial Injuries Act contribute to tackling "Want" as
identified by the Beveridge Report?;Provided cover for workplace accidents,
extending financial protection beyond the National Insurance Act.;H1
What significant education reform was introduced by the 1944 Education Act to
combat "Ignorance"?;Mandated compulsory free education until age 15 and introduced
the 11+ examination to stream children into schools based on ability.;H1
How did the 1944 Education Act address the issue of "Ignorance" through its
provisions for school services?;Provided meals, milk, and medical services at every
school, ensuring children's health and well-being were supported alongside their
education.;H1
What was the key feature of the 1948 National Health Service in addressing
"Disease" as per the Beveridge Report?;Provided free medical treatment for all,
funded through general taxation and National Insurance, including prescriptions,
dental, and optical care.;H1
How did the organization of hospitals and GPs change under the 1948 National Health
Service to combat "Disease"?;Hospitals were run by local authorities within a
national system, and GPs operated as independent contractors paid per patient,
improving healthcare coordination.;H1
What legislative action was taken to address "Squalor" through housing between
1945-51?;Over 500,000 new homes were built, and the New Towns Act of 1946 planned
12 new towns to reduce overcrowding.;H1
How did the 1949 Housing Act aim to improve conditions to tackle "Squalor"?;Allowed
councils and householders to apply for allowances for housing improvements,
enhancing living conditions.;H1
What measures were taken to ensure full employment and address "Idleness" according
to the Beveridge Report?;Nationalizations of key industries from 1946-1949,
including coal, civil aviation, and the Bank of England, aimed to ensure full
employment.;H1
How did the nationalization efforts between 1946 and 1949 contribute to combating
"Idleness"?;By taking control of essential services and industries, the government
aimed to secure employment opportunities and stabilize the economy.;H1