2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007 – The Affluent Society, 1951–1964 — AQA A-Level History
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2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007 – The Affluent Society, 1951–1964 explained
Between 1951 and 1964, the Conservative Party dominated British politics under Churchill, Eden, Macmillan, and Home.
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Their success stemmed from pragmatic domestic policies, such as building 300,000 houses annually and maintaining the post-war consensus, which fostered rising living standards and affluence. This dominance was heavily aided by internal Labour divisions between Bevanite left-wingers and Gaitskellite moderates over issues like unilateral nuclear disarmament and Clause IV. However, Conservative hegemony eventually fractured. Economic 'stop-go' policies, the Profumo affair, Macmillan's 'Night of the Long Knives', and Home's out-of-touch aristocratic image contributed to their narrow defeat by a revitalised Labour Party in 1964.
Economic developments: post-war boom; balance of payments issues and 'stop-go' policies
The 1951–1964 period saw a sustained post-war economic boom, characterised by full employment, rising wages, and increased consumer credit. However, this prosperity masked structural weaknesses, notably persistent balance of payments issues where import costs frequently exceeded export revenues, threatening the pound's value. To manage inflationary pressures and protect sterling, Conservative Chancellors utilised 'stop-go' policies. When the economy overheated, they applied the 'stop' by raising interest rates and taxes. Once demand cooled, they initiated the 'go' phase by cutting taxes and lowering rates. This cycle hindered long-term industrial investment and prevented sustained economic growth despite the superficial affluence.
Social developments: rising living standards; the impact of affluence and consumerism; changing social attitudes and tensions; class and 'the Establishment'; the position of women; attitudes to immigration; racial violence; the emergence of the 'teenager' and youth culture
Between 1951 and 1964, Britain saw rising living standards driven by affluence and consumerism, exemplified by surging television and car ownership. This prosperity fuelled changing social attitudes and tensions, challenging traditional class structures and 'the Establishment' through the satire boom. Despite this, the position of women remained largely domestic, though part-time work expanded. The era witnessed shifting attitudes to immigration, culminating in racial violence like the 1958 Notting Hill riots. Concurrently, rising disposable incomes facilitated the emergence of the 'teenager' and a distinct youth culture. Subcultures like Mods and Rockers, alongside new music and fashion, amplified generational divides and societal anxieties.
Foreign relations: EFTA and attempts to join the EEC; relations with and policies towards USA and USSR; debates over the nuclear deterrent; Korean War; Suez; the ‘Winds of Change' and decolonisation
Between 1951 and 1964, Britain's global role shifted. Initially aloof from the EEC, Britain formed EFTA in 1960 but made attempts to join the EEC in 1961, only to be vetoed in 1963. Foreign relations with and policies towards USA and USSR were complex; Britain supported the USA in the Korean War but faced humiliation during the 1956 Suez Crisis when US pressure forced a withdrawal, highlighting diminished superpower status. This era saw intense debates over the nuclear deterrent, spurred by CND. Finally, Macmillan’s 1960 'Winds of Change' speech acknowledged the inevitability of African independence, accelerating decolonisation as Britain adjusted to its reduced imperial standing.
Your focus
- Compare the political leadership and domestic policies of Churchill, Eden, Macmillan, and Home.
- Explain how ideological divisions between Bevanites and Gaitskellites weakened the Labour Party's electoral prospects.
- Evaluate the economic, political, and social factors that led to the Conservative fall from power in 1964.
Show all 12 objectives
- Define the key characteristics of the post-war economic boom in Britain.
- Explain the mechanics and objectives of 'stop-go' economic policies.
- Analyse the causes and consequences of Britain's balance of payments issues during this period.
- Evaluate the impact of consumerism on British living standards and social attitudes.
- Analyse the changing dynamics of class and deference towards 'the Establishment'.
- Explain the emergence of youth culture and its relationship with post-war affluence.
- Explain the causes and consequences of the 1956 Suez Crisis and the Korean War on foreign relations.
- Analyse the reasons for Britain's formation of EFTA and attempts to join the EEC between 1951 and 1964.
- Assess the impact of the Cold War on British foreign and defence policy, including relations with and policies towards USA and USSR, and debates over the nuclear deterrent.
2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007 – The Affluent Society, 1951–1964 exam tips
Marking Points
- Evaluate the leadership styles and public appeal of Churchill, Eden, Macmillan, and Home, noting Macmillan's 'Supermac' persona and its later decline.
- Analyse the success of Conservative domestic policies, particularly housing targets and the management of the 'affluent society' through consensus politics.
- Assess the impact of Labour's internal ideological splits, specifically the Bevan versus Gaitskell disputes, on their electoral failures in 1955 and 1959.
- Examine the economic difficulties of the early 1960s, including 'stop-go' economics and rising unemployment, as catalysts for the Conservative decline.
- Explain how scandals, notably the Profumo affair, and political miscalculations like the 1962 cabinet reshuffle undermined public trust in the Conservative government.
- Explain the features of the post-war boom, such as full employment, rising real wages, and the expansion of consumer credit.
- Analyse the causes of balance of payments deficits, specifically the UK's high propensity to import consumer goods compared to its export performance.
- Evaluate the mechanics of 'stop-go' economics, detailing how interest rates and taxation were manipulated to control demand.
- Assess the long-term impact of 'stop-go' policies on British industry, noting how fluctuating demand discouraged long-term capital investment.
- Assess the evidence for rising living standards, including wage increases, housing improvements, and the proliferation of consumer goods.
- Analyse the challenge to 'the Establishment' and class deference, referencing cultural shifts such as the 'Angry Young Men' and the satire boom.
- Evaluate the continuity and change in the position of women, contrasting the persistent domestic ideal with the gradual increase in female employment.
- Examine the causes and consequences of racial violence, specifically the 1958 Notting Hill riots and the subsequent 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act.
- Explain the economic and cultural factors that led to the emergence of the 'teenager' and distinct youth subcultures.
- Assess the impact of the 1956 Suez Crisis and the Korean War on foreign relations with and policies towards USA and USSR, and Britain's self-perception as a global power.
- Evaluate the economic and political motivations behind the formation of EFTA in 1960 and attempts to join the EEC in 1961, and the significance of de Gaulle's veto.
- Analyse the domestic debates over the nuclear deterrent, including the influence of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).
- Explain the drivers of decolonisation, using Macmillan's 'Winds of Change' speech as a turning point in imperial policy.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Contrast the electoral asset of Macmillan's leadership in 1959 with how his Edwardian image became a liability by 1963 against Wilson's modernising rhetoric.
- 💡Use specific domestic policy achievements, such as Macmillan delivering on the 300,000 houses pledge, to explain working-class Conservative voting patterns.
- 💡When evaluating the fall from power, balance short-term scandals like Profumo with long-term structural issues such as economic relative decline and 'stop-go' cycles.
- 💡Use specific examples of Chancellors, such as Peter Thorneycroft or Derick Heathcoat-Amory, to illustrate the application of 'stop-go' policies.
- 💡Link economic policies directly to political outcomes, such as how 'go' phases were often timed to coincide with general elections to secure Conservative victories.
- 💡Contrast the superficial affluence of the era with the underlying economic indicators, such as Britain's declining share of world trade, to build a nuanced evaluation.
- 💡Use specific cultural examples, such as the Profumo Affair or 'Beyond the Fringe', to demonstrate the declining deference towards 'the Establishment'.
- 💡Link economic developments to social changes, showing how the post-war boom directly funded the new consumerism and youth culture.
- 💡When discussing immigration, ensure you balance the narrative of racial violence with the economic necessity of immigrant labour in sectors like transport and the NHS.
- 💡Link foreign policy failures, such as Suez and the failed attempts to join the EEC, to Britain's relative economic decline during this period.
- 💡Use the Korean War and the debates over the nuclear deterrent to illustrate Britain's complex relations with and policies towards USA and USSR.
- 💡When discussing decolonisation, explicitly reference the 'Winds of Change' speech to demonstrate an understanding of shifting Conservative policy.
Common Mistakes
- Error: Stating that the Conservatives dismantled the welfare state after 1951. Correction: The Conservatives largely accepted the post-war consensus, maintaining the NHS and expanding housing rather than dismantling Labour's reforms.
- Error: Attributing the 1964 Conservative defeat solely to the Profumo affair. Correction: While damaging, the defeat was also caused by underlying economic stagnation, 'stop-go' policies, and a modernised Labour campaign under Harold Wilson.
- Error: Treating the Labour Party as entirely united during the 1950s. Correction: Labour was deeply fractured between the left, led by Aneurin Bevan, and the right, led by Hugh Gaitskell, over nationalisation and nuclear weapons, which kept them out of power.
- Confusing the balance of payments with the government budget deficit; the former relates to international trade (imports versus exports), while the latter concerns government income versus expenditure.
- Assuming 'stop-go' policies were entirely successful; while they managed short-term crises, they failed to address underlying structural weaknesses in British manufacturing.
- Claiming the post-war boom was unique to Britain; students must recognise that this was a global phenomenon and Britain's growth actually lagged behind competitors like West Germany.
- Overstating the extent of social revolution; while attitudes began to shift, Britain in 1964 remained a deeply traditional and class-bound society.
- Assuming the position of women transformed dramatically; students often confuse the 1950s with the later feminist movements of the 1970s, missing the prevailing domestic focus of this era.
- Treating youth culture as a purely rebellious movement without acknowledging its commercial roots; the 'teenager' was largely a product of increased disposable income and targeted consumerism.
- Claiming Britain joined the EEC in the 1960s. Correction: State that Britain formed EFTA in 1960 and its 1961 attempts to join the EEC were vetoed in 1963; entry did not occur until 1973.
- Viewing the Suez Crisis solely as a military defeat. Correction: Explain that Suez was a political and economic failure caused by a lack of US support and a run on the pound, not a military defeat.
- Assuming decolonisation was entirely peaceful and voluntary. Correction: Acknowledge that while some transitions following the 'Winds of Change' speech were smooth, others involved conflict, and the process was often driven by economic necessity and nationalist pressure.