What mistakes do students make with Economic issues: post-war re-adjustment and return to…?

Stating that the General Strike was a revolutionary attempt to overthrow the government. Put it right by explaining it was a sympathetic strike over wages and conditions, and the TUC actively avoided revolutionary action. Blaming Churchill entirely for the economic slump. Put it right by acknowledging that while the return to the Gold Standard worsened conditions, structural decline in staple industries was already underway. Confusing the Samuel Commission with the Sankey Commission. Put it right by noting the Sankey Commission recommended nationalisation, while the Samuel Commission...

AQA · A-Level · History

Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017

Britain in Transition, 1906–1957 – The search for stability, 1922–1929:…

Full specification wording

2M Wars and Welfare: Britain in Transition, 1906–1957 – The search for stability, 1922–1929: Economic issues: post-war re-adjustment and return to Gold Standard; the problems of the coal mines; industrial disputes and the General Strike

Britain's post-war economic re-adjustment was fraught with difficulty, characterised by deflation and structural decline in staple industries.

Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on 27 September 2026.

Point 2 of 4

Study notes

From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

The idea

What earns the marks

Explain the economic challenges of post-war re-adjustment, including the transition from a wartime to a peacetime economy and the loss of overseas markets.
Analyse the economic arguments for and against returning to the Gold Standard in 1925, and its impact on export-driven industries.
Identify the long-term and short-term problems facing the coal industry, such as lack of mechanisation, the end of wartime subsidies, and the impact of the Dawes Plan on German coal exports.
Evaluate the causes of the 1926 General Strike, focusing on the breakdown of negotiations between the miners, mine owners, and the government.
Assess the reasons for the failure of the General Strike, including the government's effective use of the Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies and the TUC's reluctance to pursue a revolutionary agenda.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

Stating that the General Strike was a revolutionary attempt to overthrow the government.
Put it right by explaining it was a sympathetic strike over wages and conditions, and the TUC actively avoided revolutionary action.
Blaming Churchill entirely for the economic slump.
Put it right by acknowledging that while the return to the Gold Standard worsened conditions, structural decline in staple industries was already underway.
Confusing the Samuel Commission with the Sankey Commission.
Put it right by noting the Sankey Commission recommended nationalisation, while the Samuel Commission rejected it but proposed reorganisation and wage cuts.

Exam tips

Link the return to the Gold Standard directly to the outbreak of the General Strike by explaining how the overvalued pound forced mine owners to cut wages to remain competitive.
Contrast the government's thorough preparation for the General Strike with the TUC's hesitant and disorganised approach.
Use specific statistics, such as the pre-war parity rate, to demonstrate precise knowledge of the economic policies of the period.

Try the lesson

The start of the 2M Wars and Welfare: Britain in Transition, 1906–1957 – The search for stability, 1922–1929: Economic issues: post-war re-adjustment and return to Gold Standard; the problems of the coal mines; industrial disputes and the General Strike lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

Have a go first

What was the primary economic consequence of Winston Churchill's decision to return Britain to the Gold Standard in 1925 at the pre-war parity of $4.86?

Tip: press 1 to 4 to choose

Listen

Britain's post-war economic re-adjustment was fraught with difficulty, characterised by deflation and structural decline in staple industries. Churchill's 1925 decision to return to the Gold Standard at the pre-war parity overvalued the pound by roughly 10%, making exports uncompetitive. This exacerbated the problems of the coal mines, which already suffered from underinvestment, foreign competition, and falling prices. Mine owners demanded wage cuts and longer hours, leading to bitter industrial disputes. When the Samuel Commission rejected nationalisation but recommended wage reductions, the TUC called the 1926 General Strike to support the miners. The strike lasted nine days before the TUC capitulated, leaving the miners to fight on alone until starvation forced their surrender, highlighting deep economic instability. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explain the economic challenges of post-war re-adjustment, including the transition from a wartime to a peacetime economy and the loss of overseas markets. Analyse the economic arguments for and against returning to the Gold Standard in 1925, and its impact on export-driven industries. Identify the long-term and short-term problems facing the coal industry, such as lack of mechanisation, the end of wartime subsidies, and the impact of the Dawes Plan on German coal exports. Evaluate the causes of the 1926 General Strike, focusing on the breakdown of negotiations between the miners, mine owners, and the government. A common slip: Stating that the General Strike was a revolutionary attempt to overthrow the government. Instead, explaining it was a sympathetic strike over wages and conditions, and the TUC actively avoided revolutionary action. Exam tip: Link the return to the Gold Standard directly to the outbreak of the General Strike by explaining how the overvalued pound forced mine owners to cut wages to remain competitive.

See it

A top-down flowchart of eleven boxes linked by arrows. It starts with post-war re-adjustment, which leads to the return to the Gold Standard in 1925. That leads to an overvalued pound, which leads to exports being uncompetitive, which leads to the problems of the coal mines. The mine owners then demand wage cuts and longer hours, leading to industrial disputes. The Samuel Commission rejects nationalisation but recommends wage reductions, and the TUC calls the 1926 General Strike. The TUC capitulates after nine days, and the miners fight on alone until starvation forces their surrender. — A chain showing how post-war re-adjustment and the return to the Gold Standard fed through to the coal mines, industrial disputes and the 1926 General Strike.

Label the diagram

Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A top-down flowchart of eleven boxes linked by arrows. It starts with post-war re-adjustment, which leads to the return to the Gold Standard in 1925. That leads to an overvalued pound, which leads to exports being uncompetitive, which leads to the problems of the coal mines. The mine owners then demand wage cuts and longer hours, leading to industrial disputes. The Samuel Commission rejects nationalisation but recommends wage reductions, and the TUC calls the 1926 General Strike. The TUC capitulates after nine days, and the miners fight on alone until starvation forces their surrender.

1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3

0 of 3 labelled

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