The Success of the First Two Labour Governments was Outweighed by the Failures Essay Example
Do you agree with the view that, in the years 1945-51, the achievements of the Labour government far outweighed its failures? Explain your answer, using Sources 4, 5 and 6 and your own knowledge. (40 marks)
The Labour government in 1945-1951 achieved a high degree of activity and success, despite working within ‘the aftermath of war’ which inevitably ‘brings enormous difficulties’. The Labour government devoted their power to reconstructing a better nation, one that would be a ‘better place in which to be born, to grow up, and to live and even die’. On the other hand it is possible to criticise Labour due to their ‘irresponsible’ spending.
In source 4 Hennessy states that Britain is a ‘better place in which to be born’ as the emergence of the NHS (1948) was one of the major achievements of Atlee’s Labour government. This is because the introduction of the National Health Service was created as part of a social welfare policy which aimed to provide universal and free benefits to all those in need. This marked a stepping stone to solving the nation’s major social problems. Peter further comments that’s Britain is a better place to ‘grow up’, this is due to housing as Labour identified the housing shortage that existed as much housing had been destroyed or damaged during the German bombing campaign. 1 million houses were built as a way of attacking one of Beveridge’s 5 giants; Beveridge considered poor housing to be one of the major factors in explaining poverty and lack of hope and chance in Britain. ‘to work’ is due to the four acts which includes industrial injuries in jobs such as mining which provides cover for accidents occurring within the workplace. This is significant for jobs such as mining. ‘to live’ is due to the benefits which emerged such as Family Allowance which provides a weekly payment of five shillings for every child after the first and did not require a means test. In source 5 Andrew Maar comments on the way in which Britain
The Labour government in 1945-1951 achieved a high degree of activity and success, despite working within ‘the aftermath of war’ which inevitably ‘brings enormous difficulties’. The Labour government devoted their power to reconstructing a better nation, one that would be a ‘better place in which to be born, to grow up, and to live and even die’. On the other hand it is possible to criticise Labour due to their ‘irresponsible’ spending.
In source 4 Hennessy states that Britain is a ‘better place in which to be born’ as the emergence of the NHS (1948) was one of the major achievements of Atlee’s Labour government. This is because the introduction of the National Health Service was created as part of a social welfare policy which aimed to provide universal and free benefits to all those in need. This marked a stepping stone to solving the nation’s major social problems. Peter further comments that’s Britain is a better place to ‘grow up’, this is due to housing as Labour identified the housing shortage that existed as much housing had been destroyed or damaged during the German bombing campaign. 1 million houses were built as a way of attacking one of Beveridge’s 5 giants; Beveridge considered poor housing to be one of the major factors in explaining poverty and lack of hope and chance in Britain. ‘to work’ is due to the four acts which includes industrial injuries in jobs such as mining which provides cover for accidents occurring within the workplace. This is significant for jobs such as mining. ‘to live’ is due to the benefits which emerged such as Family Allowance which provides a weekly payment of five shillings for every child after the first and did not require a means test. In source 5 Andrew Maar comments on the way in which Britain