1951-64

• Rising living standards:

  • Pre-war slums cleared and new towns created (e.g. Kirby)

  • Population shifts away from urban centres – linked in with increased car ownership

  • Wages were increasing, private savings rose and farmers were also doing well

  • Rationing ended in 1954

  • Homeownership increased – cheap mortgages – but council houses and rented accommodation.
• Affluence and consumerism:

  Increase in consumer goods (TVs, washing machines, cars)

  • Growth of advertisement e.g. on ITV on the TV

  • Increase in new hobbies like DIY, gardening etc.

  • Car ownership increased 25% 1957-59 and motorway expansion occurred.

  • Holiday camps were popular (e.g. Butlins). Only 2% holidays were abroad in the late 1950s
• Class and the ‘establishment’:

  • Decline in deference by the end of the 50s/early 60s

  • Suez Crisis exposed lying and manipulation by government

  • Pressure groups like the CND encouraged challenges to the government

  • Criticism of ‘the establishment’ – those who ruled

  • Profumo Affair – media criticised government, sex scandal shocked the nation • Satire increased e.g. TWTWTW and Private Eye

  • ‘Angry-young men’ – used the arts to attack behaviour of ruling Elite
• Position of women:

  • Primarily still seen as housewives – average age of marriage 21 and 75% women was married. Only 1/5 women worked in 1951

  • Family allowance – paid to women – one of few things not in husbands name

  • 1964 number of women working increased – not widespread and trade unions did not support growth in women working

  • 1957-59 increase in washing machine ownership and refrigerators. Made domestic chores easier.
• Race and immigration:

  • Immigration from Commonwealth increased racial tensions

  • 676,000 immigrants came to Britain – but 1.32million left Britain to live abroad

  • August 1958 – Nottingham and Notting Hill race riots – show

  racial tensions. British fascists like Oswald Mosley tried to incite fear against immigration

  • 1962 – Commonwealth Immigrants Act passed – controlling immigration.
• Youth Culture:

  • New youth culture due to increased affluence and leisure time

  • Baby boom post-war increased number of teenagers

  • Teddy Boys in early 50s, Mods/Rockers in late 1950s – often clashes between the

  groups (e.g. Margate and Brighton 1964)

  • Rock and roll influenced music and fashioN
• Changing attitudes:

  • Racial tension, gang violence and sexual themes explored more in books/films (e.g. A Clockwork Orange, Dixon of Dock Green)

  • Drive to break down censorship and social taboos – case of Lady Chatterley’s lover.

  • Backlash by some e.g. Mary Whitehouse and older generation.
• EFTA and attempts to join EEC:

  • EEC launched 1957 - dominated by France + West Germany
  • 1959 - Britain led formation of European Free Trade Association
  • 1961 - MacMillan applied to join EEC led by Ted Heath - US were keen for Britain to join as it would link them to Europe + Britain wanted to keep the Commonwealth and its’ ’special relationship’ with US.
  • Application rejected by Charles de Gaulle (French PM) - vetoed.
• Nuclear deterrent:

  • US didn’t share nuclear secrets - Britain gained own bomb in 1952.
  • This led to the formation of Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament who protested in marches.
  • 1958 - US agreed to share nuclear secrets under Mutual Defence Agreement - Britain gained US Polaris Submarine system.
• Korean War:

  • First major conflict of Cold War, lasted 1950-53.
  • BritIan sent over 90,000 soldiers to support UN action in South Korea.
  • This showed Britain’s willingness to play a role in world affairs.
• Suez Canal:

  • Suez Canal was vital for trade with Asia.
  • Egypt leader Colonel Nasser nationalised canal in 1956.
  • Britain, France + Israel secretly agreed to prevent this - Israel would invade Egypt + France/Britain would intervene.
  • This plan failed due to the military and led to protests.
  • This damaged Britain’s ’special relationship’ as US were not consulted.
  • This led to economic issues in Britain + resignation of Eden.
  • Suez crisis showed Britain was dependent on the US.
• ‘Winds of Change’ + decolonisation:

  • 1951 - the retreat from the empire began - fighting many national independence movements e.g Malaya, Kenya
  • After Suez foreign policy changed (pace of decolonisation increased) shift signalled in the ‘Winds of Change‘ speech by MacMillan.
  • ’Winds of Change’ - It was the first public statement of Britain's acknowledgment of Black nationalist movements in Africa, and that its colonies would have to be given independence under majority rule.
  • 1964 - the transition from Europe to the Commonwealth seemed a significant achievement.
• Clement Atlee was the leader of the Labour party from 1935 to 1955 and served as Prime Minister from 1945-51.
• The National Health Service (NHS) Act 1946, which provides healthcare free to citizens, was a major act as Prime Minister.
• The National Insurance Act 1946 requires working persons to contribute to a range of benefits.
• The Nationalisation Acts nationalised coal, electricity, and transport.
• The Childcare Act reformed services for orphaned and deprived children and set regulations for childminders.
• Nigel Lawson states that Atlee’s government set the political agenda for the next quarter of a century.
• The post-war economy faced Britain with huge problems, including damages and massive debts, and relied on financial aid from the USA.
• The Atlee government nationalised coal, electricity, and transport in the hope of modernising these industries.
• Britain was part of the alliance that won the war, held a great Empire, was an ally of the USA, and was one of 5 permanent council members of the United Nations.
• The post-war consensus was formed by former Chancellor of the Exchequer Hugh Gaitskell and current R.A Butler, maintaining full employment, cooperation with the TU’s, and continuing reforms such as the NHS and Welfare state.
• Churchill, aging and increasingly unwell, was 80 years old when he finally resigned in 1955.
• Men’s weekly wages rose £8.30 to £15.35 in 10 years.
• Increase in private savings, boom in car ownership, cheap mortgages increased housing sales, and increased consumer goods such as TV’s, washing machines, and fridges.
• Food rationing ended and a pledge was made to build 300,000 new houses per year.
• In the 1955 election, Churchill retired and Eden was called to election immediately, with the press in favor of the conservatives and voters happy with the rise in living standards.
• Eden was elected with a happy majority and Hugh Gaitskell became the Labour leader.
• The Labour vote held well in the 1955 election.
• Britain’s world trade fell from 1/4 to 1/10 from 1951 to 1975.
• De Gaulle of France rejected Britain’s request to join the EEC.
• A huge loan was taken from the IMF, the International Monetary Fund, during Macmillan’s time.
• Eden’s opinion polls dropped to 40% and never recovered from Suez.
• The Suez Crisis, which involved launching military action against Egypt and President Nasser, ended disastrously for Eden.
• Labour suffered party divisions, Bevan and Gaitskell were still in opposition, and didn’t take advantage of the Suez crisis.
• The “Night of the Long Knives” in 1962 saw a cabinet reshuffle, with many MPs replaced, to try and revive the party and save the economy.
• Tension between Eden and Bevan within the party may have held them back.
• Eden’s sneaky plans and talks with France and Israel to attack led to outrage from the Labour Party, the press, USA, UN, USSR and even split the Conservative party.
• Macmillan described the period as the “Age of Affluence”, with a rise in living standards and prosperity.
• Macmillan was able to win the 1959 election due to continuing affluence and consumer goods.