British History: 1918-1939

Britains trade following the WW1?

-Trade had diminished, £1 billion loans made payable to the USA

-War: Britains trade was disrupted, countries became self-sufficient/depended on other countries

-Other countries had: protective tariffs and government subsidies

What were Britains stables, any issues with these?

-Britains staples: older industries were suffering- COAL, IRON, STEEL, SHIP BUILDING and COTTON.

-Advances in technolgy, large scale unemployment

-Unemployment: N England, South Wales, SW Scotland

-Empoyed: S England and Midlands

-->The 1939 Wall Street Crash worsened this

What did the newer industries do?

-They helped prevent unemployment in particular areas: electrical, chemical and motor vehicle

Any economical issues of Britain?

1) PHYSICAL LOSS: War resulted in 745,000 dead and 1.6 million injured

2)ECONOMIC DISTORTION: Engineering/shipbuilding thrived yet other trades declined

3)DISRUPTION OF EXPORT TRADE: Industries who relied on export were over taken by self-sufficient countries or those that went elsewhere e.g. to Japan

WAR DEBT: selling of foreign assets and heavy borrowing- increased national debt, Britain taken of gold standard

Optimistic elements?

-By 1932 the steel industry was again triving

-Newer industries had higher levels of employment

-Mass production/ use of electricity

-Rising of real incomes, cheap mortgages improved living standards

What did JB Priestly feel?

The depression brought 3 Englands:

1)Old England: Countryside, picturesque

2)Industrial England: Smokey, depressed (Midlands/North)

3)Vibrant England: Cinemas, cafes, arts (Southern)

The Devils decade?

Seen as Governments incompetence/ missed oppertunities, unemployment and poverty.

Historian views?

DH ALCROFT: growth in certain sectors of the economy

JACK LAYBOURNE (Labour Historian): large scale unemployment, wasted resources

Hints of PROSPERITY?

1)Rise of living standards: higher real incomes in 1914, price of items constantly under those of incomes

2)Family size fell: knowledge of contraception amongst the working classes--> money could be spent on luxury items

3)Most benefited: The salaried middle class--> Suburban house building boom: 1930s

-->Mass production: car ownership, radio consumer rose

4)Working class: also benefited: rise in standards--> new jobs, new oppertunities, better paid jobs, wider variety of food due to packaging, housing/health care improvements

5)Working hours reduced following war meaning more leisure time e.g. weekend and day trips

Hints of PESSIMISM?

1)Mass unemployment: contrast of areas in England (John Stevenson)

2)Amount of long term unemployment, unlike usual seasonal type

3)Newer industries did experience some unemployment but this was usually short term and early recovered

Social/Economic impact of unemployment?

1)Govt recognition of unemployment gave benefit claimants an extention to prevent the Poor Law

2)From 1929: benefits were controlled by the PUBLIC ASSISSTANCE COMMITTEE--> the govt. later introduced the Means Test

3)The dole:

4)George Orwell: "Road To Wigan Pier": showed the strain working class endured: Liberal writer makes us question validity

5)"Fillers": foods that replaced nutritious meals