Abstract
When examining Attlee and the Labour Party’s response to the Depression, it is necessary to consider the two planes on which this response was debated. There was the party policy debate, conducted within Labour’s ranks, dealing with the questions raised by nationalization, constitutional reform and planning. There were also the practical political debates of parliamentary Opposition, between the PLP and the government, which addressed the Household Means Test, the taxation of co-operatives, trade policy, the treatment of the unemployed and exchange control. It is here argued that the party made considerable progress in its policy debate, even if that debate was not fully resolved; also that despite its small numbers, the PLP offered a determined opposition to government policy, and was occasionally rewarded with minor victories.
Keywords
These 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.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2001 John Swift
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Swift, J. (2001). New Concerns: Attlee and the Depression, 1931–5. In: Labour in Crisis. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230599802_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230599802_2
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-42078-0
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-59980-2
eBook Packages: Palgrave History CollectionHistory (R0)