AQA Modern History: The Making of Modern Britain: 1964-1970

AQA Modern History: The Making of Modern Britain: 1964-1970

1. Society

   • The Swinging Sixties
     • TV
       • 10 years of ITV in 1965
       • Colour TV in 1967-1969
     • Fashion
     • Rock music
     • Sexual liberation
       • The Pill
         • 1961
     • Generation gap between old and young
   • Social Reforms
     • Abortion Act
       • 1967
     • Decriminalisation of Homosexuality
       • 1967
     • Divorce made easier
       • 1969
     • Race Relations Act
       • 1965
     • Abolition of Death Penalty
       • 1969
   • Influx of immigrants
     • Mainly from India and Pakistan
     • 1968- influx of Kenyan immigrants
       • 1968- Commonwealth Immigration Act
   • Education
     • Open University set up in 1969
     • Increase in comprehensive schools
   • Continuity
     • Permissive society didn't last
       • Thatcher came in 1979 with a more political style resembling he 1950s
     • Women's rights had been increasing since the Suffragettes
     • Swinging Sixties only affected the educated middle class

2. Labour

   • Failures
     • Attempts to restructure economy
     • Devaluation of £
     • Trade Unions
     • EEC rejection
   • Achievements
     • Education reforms
     • Social reforms
     • Recovery of the economy by 1970
       • Thanks to Roy Jenkins
     • Wilson
       • Grammar school boy
       • Modern/ with the times

3. Economy

   • Defecit of £400 mill in 1964
     • £350 mill in the black by 1970
   • Wilson wanted to get away from devaluation
     • Ultimately devaluation of £ in 1967
       • "Pound in your pocket" speech
   • 1964- IMF loan
   • Department of Economic Affairs
     • George Brown
     • Went against Treasury
       • Wilson thought they were slow
     • 1966/1967 National Plan and DEA dropped
   • Seaman Strike caused Sterling Crisis in 1966
   • 1967- IMF Loan
   • Economic recovery after 1967
     • Tightened public spending
     • Raised taxes
     • Balance of payments surplus by 1970
   • Stagflation was starting

4. Foreign Policy

   • Splits in the party over CND
   • Arab Israeli War 1967
     • Suez Canal closed
   • Rejected application to join EEC 1967
   • America
     • Wanted Britain to help military in Vietnam
       • Wilson said no
     • Still scars over Suez
       • America threatened to cut Britain off if they didn't withdraw
     • Relied on them economically

5. 1970 Election

   • Shock result
     • Wilson chose when to have the election
     • Labour seemed to have overcome their difficulties by 1970
   • Conservatives did well in local elections
     • Heath didn't include immigration in his campaign
   • Heath had greater strengths than expected
   • Labour actually had quite a few failures during their run

6. Politics

   • Called an election in 1966
     • Got a majority of 98 seats
     • Good decision
   • Devaluation in 1967
     • Wilson turned it into a drama
     • Pound in your pocket speech was a disaster
   • Embarrassing rejection of EEC application in 1967
   • Trade Unions
     • 1966-1967 Seaman and Dockers Strikes
       • Called a state of emergency and brought in emergency laws
         • Saw it as a threat from communism
     • Thought they were the reason for economic sluggishness
     • Too many wildcat strikes
     • In Place of Strife
       • Babara Castle
       • Popular with voters
       • Not popular with unions/ left wing labour MPs/ Callaghan
       • Wilson finally gave in