(3) Macmillan approach to domestic policy continued and never had it so good?

(3) Macmillan approach to domestic policy continued and never had it so good?

1. Comsumer Life

   • No mass unemployment of the inter-war years
   • Living standers had risen steadily
   • 1959 and 1964 the real wage of manual workers increase by 19%
   • Self owership of house was 44%
   • Vacuum cleaners were no longer the preserve of the middle class - 75% of all homes had one
   • Washing Machines were replacing mangles and fridges were bringing about a revolution in the storage and use of food
   • The Consumer revolution had arrivied

2. Society

   • Home Office
     • Butler was left to his own devices at the home office, his instincts were more liberal
     • He pushed through a series of important Acts.
       • Inherited a Homicide Bill, limiting the dealth Penlty certain categories such as the murder of policeman and prison warders
       • It was suspected that Butler was sympathetic to abortion, but the time was not ripe and it would certainly not have been popular with the party faithful
       • Wolfenden Report - Sexual Practises, covering both prostiution and homosexuality. It recomonded tighter legilation regarding street soliciting and decriminalization of homosexuality. It became clear that a liberal move on homosexuality woul dbe unpopular with Tory back-benchers - the time was not ripe
       • The Street Offices Act seemed to have had the desired effect to reducing street soliciting by imposing tougher penalties on prostitutes - hard to impose penalties on clients
         • The Act therfore attracted the hostilitly of feminist groups
       • He also pushed through a Charities Act, modernising the administration of charity law
       • The Commonwealth Immigration Act, attempting to control the numbers of Commonwealth citizens arriving in the UK. It was denounced at the time by Gaitskell as racist.
         • But Labour did not repeal the Act when they took power in 1964, but actually tightened the restrictions in there own Act of 1965

3. Defence

   • There was a determined attempt to cut the burden of defence spending, which was far higher than any comparable European country - 10% of GDP
   • Ducan Sandys as Minister of Defence - clear breif to run down the armed forces
     • He creatred a Defence paper out lining his reasons for his policy
       • "In addition the retention of such large forces abroad gives rise to heavy charges which places a serve strain upon the balance of payment"
   • There was a increasted relyanse on Nuclear weapons as a deterrent and as a prop to great power status

4. Britan's international position

   • EEC
     • It was hoped that access to the dynamic market of western Europe with over 150 million consumers would revitalise Britian industry
     • Health headed up negotiation, Britain hoped to safe guard her special relationship with the commonwelath and the very diffrent nature of Britsh agriculture compared to that in europe, which posed a problem
     • European Community had been built around the need of french agriculture and german industry and such a design did not naturally fit British needs
       • Britain - cheep food to benefit the city in the 19th centry
       • Europe - expensive food to benefit french producers
     • The insuperable obstacle proved to be Charles de Gaulle
       • He feared Britain was too tightly bound to the USA
       • The liberation of france by USA and Britain induced resentment not gratitude
       • On the 14 January 1963, De Gaulle vetoed Britain entry

5. Britian economic performance

   • Britian was slipping behind her competitors and was well on the way to becoming the "sick man of europe"
   • Britianshare of the world trade fell from 25% in 1950 to 15% 1964
   • France, which britain had clearly passed in the level of economic development in the early 19th century, now begain to pull ahead of Britain
   • Germany and Japan, the deafeated in 1945, now surged ahead
   • What had produced this relative decline fueled a lengthy nation debate
     • To the Right it was a consequence of the burden of the wealfare state and over powerful trade unions, resistant to changes in working practices
     • To the Left of the political spectrum it arose from complacent managment, the class structure and bloated defence commitments