1945-51 Labour governments

700000 destroyed, 4m damaged during the war

Raw materials scarce and expensive

139690 built in 1947, increased to 284230 in 1948

New Towns Act (1946) - 14 new towns

Births and marriages increased

Lack of housing pre-war, problem just increased

Subsidies to keep prices down

Black market as rationing continued

NHS (1946) - infant mortality halved, life expectancy increased, death from infectious diseases decreased by 80%

Increasing cost of NHS: £179m --> £240m --> £352m

Big opposition from BMA and Royal College of Surgeons

Butler Education Act (1944)

Milk, meals and medical services provided at all schools

11+ exam gave poorer children an opportunity of upward social mobility

Secondary moderns seen as 'inferior' to grammar schools

11+ biased towards areas with more grammar school places

£4b loan from USA, followed by installments of Marshall Aid

Ridiculous amount of debt

End of Lend-Lease agreement with USA

To secure the loan, Britain had to release currency controls on the pound; loan also had interest

Increased debt by investing into nuclear weapons; becoming involved in the Korean War

Soldiers could serve out the rest of their service as miners

Not enough destruction to warrant complete reconstruction of industry

Aged Victorian infrastructure

Shortage of labour

Nationalisation?

Marketing boards established - guaranteed prices

Did not guarantee yield

Post war consensus - working towards the maintenance of a mixed economy, pursuing the goal of full employment, maintaining a comprehensive welfare state and adjusting foreign and imperial policy to Britain's place in the post war world