Chapter 26 : The Democracies and the Non-Western World – Lesson 1

Great Britain

Opening the Lesson:

1. The democracies following WWI: Who were they? What problems did they face? Why did they fail to stop the rise of the dictatorships? How did they contribute to the factors leading to WWII?

2. There are two important points to consider when answering the latter questions: First, the democracies presented no united front, and secondly, they were preoccupied with their own internal problems and with problems in their empires.

Developing the Lesson:

I: The Postwar Economic Crisis in 1921

A. 1918 Election

1. David Lloyd-George, a Liberal, led Britain during the last years of WWI and was returned as pm

2. This was the first election in which all 21 year old males could vote and the first in first women over 30 could vote

B. Economic Problems Following the War

1. National debt was 10x what it had been in 1914

2. Overseas investments had been liqudated to purchase goods during the war

3. Forty percent of merchant fleet was lost

4. Unemployment was at 20% forcing an increase in the dole and a higher tariff to protect industries

5. Faced heavy competition from the U.S., Canada, and Germany

6. British coal industry was facing competition from oil and electricity

C. Results of These Economic Problems

1. Liberal lost support and became weak third party

2. Lloyd-George forced to resign

II. The Conservative and Labour Programs

A. Conservatives

1. Aristocrats and middle class who believed in little government interference and protective tariffs

2. Hoped to create a self-sufficient empire but colonies were not willing to accept colonial status

B. Labour Party

1. Workers and intellectuals who believed in government action

2. Supported idea of nationalizing major industries arguing that it would end wasteful competition and inefficiency

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III. Politics Between the Wars 1918-1936

A. Basics

1. The Liberals were pushed to the rear as they failed to cope successfully with the problems following WWI

a. Raising the tariff and the dole didn’t work

b. Presided over Irish independence which split the party helped force Lloyd-George to resign

2. Men over 21 and women over 30 given the vote in 1918

3. Women over 21 given the vote in 1928

4. Government control went back and forth between Stanley Baldwin and Ramsey MacDonald

a. MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-35

b. Baldwin in 1924-29 and 1935-37

5. Labour needed Liberal support in order to govern

B. Important Events Influencing Politics

1. Relations with the Soviet Union

a. Labour government recognized in 1924 and encouraged closer relations

b. Zinoviev Letter appeared just before Oct., 1924 election urging British communists to work for revolution and result was a conservative victory

c. Conservative government severed relations with S.U.

2. General Strike of 1926

a. Occurred when Conservatives in power

b. Called to support coal miners who were being forced to work longer hours at less pay

c. Strike failed because of volunteers which indicated conservative nature of British public

3. Unemployment and the Depression

a. Labour came to power in May, 1929 because Conservatives had dealt with unemployment and were in power when Depression hit

b. MacDonald, Labour pm, resigned in August, 1931, as unemployment increased but returned to power with support of Conservatives and Liberals

c. MacDonald government increasd taxes, reduced social services, lowered interest rates, raised tariffs, ended war debts, and all resulted in reduction of unemployment by half

4. Constitutional Crisis

a. Created when Edward VIII wished to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson

b. Baldwin, having come to power in 1935, suggested Edward marry, but Wallis could not take title of queen

c. Edward abdicated in Dec., 1936, having been king only since January

5. The Irish Question and the Commonwealth

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IV. The Irish Question

A. Independence Gained

1. Easter Rebellion 1916

2. Violence continued until independence agreement reached in 1921

3. Irish Free State Ulster

B. All Ties Broken

1. Ireland abolished all connections with Britain

2. Neutral in WWII

V. The Commonwealth 1931-1939

A. The Statute of Westminster 1931

1. Proclaimed the Dominions to be independent but members of the British Commonwealth

2. Britain would have to negotiate agreements

B. World War II

Concluding the Lesson:

It may be possible to move directly into the next lesson.