History Question 3 Essay Research Coursework Paper

PS147B: Module 2 The Rise and Fall of the Postwar Settlement I. THE RISE OF THE POSTWAR SETTLEMENT (PWS) a. Britain after WWII: the social and political climate  over five years of all-out war  hundreds of thousands of casualties  shared sacrifices (by civilians and soldiers)  politically, a “national unity” government  Socially, a shared sense of national purpose and accomplishment b. The PWS: Definition “A set of extensive social and economic arrangements sponsored by the government, that vastly expanded the government’s role in the economy and in the provision of social welfare benefits, in the three decades following WWII.” c. The policies of the PWS 1) The social policies, i.e., “the welfare state” (see Table 2.2)  old age pensions, unemployment compensation, national assistance, The national health service, public housing 2) The economic policies, i.e., Keynesian economics (see Table 2.1)  fiscal instruments (taxation, borrowing, spending)  monetary instruments (interest rates)  nationalization of several industries d. The political philosophy that underpinned the PWS, and what this philosophy replaced e. Why was the PWS implemented? 1) sense of national solidarity following WWII 2) concerns about extremist left- or right-wing political movements following WWII 3) distrust of “boom and bust” cycles under free-market capitalism 4) the Labour party’s victory in 1945 5) OK, but why did the Conservatives embrace the PWS?  the shock of the 1945 defeat, with Churchill as leader: “public opinion has shifted”  the popularity of welfare state policies  the role of chance: Churchill’s preoccupation with foreign policy after WWII f. Winston Churchill: A (very long) digression 1) His singular accomplishments  recognizing the danger of a militarized Germany  rallying the country in the spring of 1940, and beyond 2) far from perfect: Churchill’s personal quirks, strengths, and weaknesses 3) …but very inspiring! Some final thoughts about Churchill III. THE FALL OF THE PWS a. Economic decline: the catalyst b. The central criticisms of the PWS 1) Economics: high tax rates and government intervention depress economic growth 2) The welfare state erodes individual initiative and personal responsibility c. Margaret Thatcher’s rise and the fall of the PWS 1) Thatcher’s selection as Conservative leader in 1975: The beginning of the fall of the PWS 2) The role of chance in Thatcher’s selection as leader 3) a sketch of Thatcher’s personality 4) Thatcher’s political style – direct and uncompromising 5) Thatcher’s victory in the 1979 election: The definitive fall of the PWS d. Why did the PWS endure for so long? 1) National solidarity following WWII 2) The popularity of welfare state policies 3) The role of chance

POLS147B: MODULE 1 How is Britain Governed? I: INTRODUCTION: THREE COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS ON BRITAIN VERSUS THE U.S. a. How can British democracy survive with no constitutional checks on tyranny, while this appears inconceivable in the United States? b. Why do both Britain and the United States feature two dominant political parties, when most western democracies feature more than two major parties? c. How does the intensity of political conflict and distrust in Britain compare with the US? And how does it compare with other western democracies? II: A BRIEF SURVEY OF BRITAIN’S “UNWRITTEN CONSTITUTION” a. An evolving, unwritten constitution b. The British system of government: parliamentary democracy -- Parliament and its members -- the Prime Minister and his cabinet c. Parliamentary democracy in a two-party, plurality system: a recipe for tyranny? d. Why British politics are stable in the absence of a written constitution III. MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT a. “The iron cage of party discipline” b. Party discipline: Britain and the United States compared IV. THE PRIME MINISTER a. Functions b. Sources of power: The Prime Minister versus the American president V. THE BRITISH ELECTORAL SYSTEM a. Single-member plurality (definition) b. The effects of single-member plurality voting c. Advantages and disadvantages of the plurality voting system d. Some alternative electoral systems VI. SUMMARY: PARLIAMENTARY DEMECRACY IN BRITAIN