The Labour Governments of 1945–51

Abstract

As in 1918 the Second World War had a radicalising effect upon the policy of the Labour Party which, after its remarkable election victory of 1945, was for the first time in a position to implement its programme. This it did although reaction to this legislative programme varied from disappointment on the far left to almost complacent contentment among more moderate elements. While the party was busy implementing in parliament all those central aspects of earlier programmes which, it had always been thought, would lay the foundations of a socialist economy, doubts about how it should proceed in the future began to grow in the minds of some leading figures. Exactly what the party should commit itself to in terms of future policy, specific undertakings or general guidelines, became a major cause of contention and debate.KeywordsReal WageLabour GovernmentPublic OwnershipLabour PartyShopping ListThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.