International Leaders 1930-1940

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BRITAIN

Clement Attlee

Prime Minister of Britain

Years in office: (6) 1945-1951

Political Party/Beliefs: Labour, Socialism, anti-Communist

Early Life:

Clement Attlee was born in London to a middle-class family, studied at Oxford University, and trained to become a lawyer. He later worked at Haileybury House - a charity and youth organisation in Limehouse, east London. Attlee's political views and desire for social work were influenced by the poverty he witnessed in London’s East End; and he became committed to Socialism and against Communism when he decided to join the Independent Labour Party in 1908.

During WW1, he applied for a Commission and served as a Captain. His reputation as an effective, efficient leader gained him promotion to the rank of Major - a title that would remain with him beyond his military life.

Political Life:

When he returned from war, Attlee was interested in politics and became Mayor of Stepney in 1919 and MP for Limehouse in 1922. He continued to rise up within the Labour Party, and was elected its leader in 1935 (following the resignation of George Lansbury). 

During WW2, he joined Winston Churchill’s coalition government, holding the  title of Deputy Prime Minister from 1942 to 1945. A general election was called at the peak of the war in Europe, and Attlee won the Labour Party a surprising landslide victory, winning 393 seats to the Conservative’s 213, and 48% of the public vote.

His time as Prime Minister followed Winston Churchill's and was very active. Nevertheless, the blunt, relatively quiet man was actually very skilled at quick, decisive action. His leadership was apparently collective, but when he had listened to his Cabinets opinions, he would hastily make decisions. Consequently, almost all of Labour’s manifesto pledges were created under Attlee. Even though WW2 left Britain practically bankrupt, he managed to create the National Health Service -part of the Welfare State that aimed to provide ‘cradle to the grave’ care for British citizens. Additionally, many of Britain’s biggest industries – such as coal mining, electricity and the railways – were brought under state control, despite an ongoing currency crises and shortages of food and resources so bad that rationing had to be maintained well after the war.

Attlee’s time as Prime Minister also saw much foreign policy activity. He placed great trust in Ernest Bevin (his Foreign Secretary) and together they oversaw: Indian independence, American loans, ‘Marshall Aid’ for the rebuilding of Britain and Western Europe, the Berlin airlift and Britain’s commitment to the United Nations.

In the General Election of 1950 Labour failed to win the majority, and by the time of its defeat in the general election of 1951, the Labour government had worked itself to exhaustion. Attlee, however, continued to lead the Labour party until 1955, and died in 1967, aged 84.

Many people consider Attlee as the most successful British Prime Minister of all time.

Quotes:

"Winston Churchill - fifty per cent genius, fifty per cent bloody fool."

"You will be judged by what you succeed…

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