Politics In The 1940s: How Fair Is This Verdict On The Attlee Government
IV – Politics in the 1940s
“A triumph of political expediency over socialist principle.” How fair is this verdict on the Attlee Government?
Labour’s socialism was built on several fundamental principles, including transferring essential industries to public ownership, redistribution of wealth, increasing the productive capabilities of the nation and protection democracy. Wealth redistribution and nationalisation were prioritised heavily by the Attlee government.
The Labour government’s changing commitment to nationalisation over its period in office demonstrates how socialist ideals were compromised by basic political pragmatism. As promised in Labour’s election manifesto of 1945, the first few years in power saw the government embark on …show more content…
Labour was forced to steer a path of reforming according to socialist principles while simultaneously preventing the breakdown of Britain’s economy which would make these reforms impossible. Political expediency in relation to foreign policy must therefore been seen in this context. The US chose to end its Lend Lease programme in 1945, leading to a massive shortfall in balance of payments and nearly precipitated a financial crisis. Therefore, the British government’s increasingly close relations with US, at the expense of cooperation with the USSR, should be seen not as a political expedient but as a necessity. That the government continued to push for widespread reforms despite the fragility of Britain’s economic position suggests a proper commitment to socialist ideals. In the context of the economic situation Britain faced, Morrison’s policy of consolidation seems more reasonable as it became apparent that the necessary economic conditions for socialism “were not all present” (149, Fielding). Therefore, the government’s abandonment of socialist principle in relation to nationalisation must not be exaggerated, as it is clear that due to the state of the economy full nationalisation was less achievable than the labour leadership had originally
“A triumph of political expediency over socialist principle.” How fair is this verdict on the Attlee Government?
Labour’s socialism was built on several fundamental principles, including transferring essential industries to public ownership, redistribution of wealth, increasing the productive capabilities of the nation and protection democracy. Wealth redistribution and nationalisation were prioritised heavily by the Attlee government.
The Labour government’s changing commitment to nationalisation over its period in office demonstrates how socialist ideals were compromised by basic political pragmatism. As promised in Labour’s election manifesto of 1945, the first few years in power saw the government embark on …show more content…
Labour was forced to steer a path of reforming according to socialist principles while simultaneously preventing the breakdown of Britain’s economy which would make these reforms impossible. Political expediency in relation to foreign policy must therefore been seen in this context. The US chose to end its Lend Lease programme in 1945, leading to a massive shortfall in balance of payments and nearly precipitated a financial crisis. Therefore, the British government’s increasingly close relations with US, at the expense of cooperation with the USSR, should be seen not as a political expedient but as a necessity. That the government continued to push for widespread reforms despite the fragility of Britain’s economic position suggests a proper commitment to socialist ideals. In the context of the economic situation Britain faced, Morrison’s policy of consolidation seems more reasonable as it became apparent that the necessary economic conditions for socialism “were not all present” (149, Fielding). Therefore, the government’s abandonment of socialist principle in relation to nationalisation must not be exaggerated, as it is clear that due to the state of the economy full nationalisation was less achievable than the labour leadership had originally