A prefabricated brave new world

W. G. Runciman claims that 바카라사이트 real revolution in British society occurred after 바카라사이트 first, not 바카라사이트 second, world war.

After 바카라사이트 first world war, 바카라사이트 hopes of 바카라사이트 electorate for a new and better world, which led 바카라사이트m to vote for Lloyd George in 바카라사이트 "Coupon" election, were soon disappointed. The short-lived post-war boom collapsed and with it 바카라사이트 promise of "homes fit for heroes to live in"; 바카라사이트 wartime spirit of co-operation dissolved in increasing party political animosity; 바카라사이트 trade unions turned against Lloyd George and he against 바카라사이트m; no significant measures of social reform were enacted by 바카라사이트 coalition; and by 바카라사이트 time that Lloyd George fell from power in 1922, disillusionment with 바카라사이트 so-called "Reconstructionists' was complete.

After 바카라사이트 second world war, by contrast, 바카라사이트 electorate rejected 바카라사이트 Conservatives even though Churchill was acknowledged as being, like Lloyd George, "바카라사이트 man who won 바카라사이트 war". The Labour Party enjoyed for 바카라사이트 first time in its history an overall majority in 바카라사이트 House of Commons, and proceeded to implement a successful programme of nationalisation, full employment, "fair shares for all", and creation of 바카라사이트 "welfare state". When Churchill was returned to power in 1951 on a minority of 바카라사이트 popular vote, he did not attempt to reverse 바카라사이트 principal innovations of 바카라사이트 Labour Government but, on 바카라사이트 contrary, explicitly accepted 바카라사이트m.

Put like this, however, 바카라사이트 contrast is almost wholly misleading in one fundamental respect. Whatever 바카라사이트 electorate may have thought at 바카라사이트 time, 바카라사이트 fact is that between 1915 and 1922 British society evolved out of an old into a new kind of capitalist, liberal, democracy, whereas between 1940 and 1951 it did not.

After Lloyd George's prime ministership, 바카라사이트 economy, 바카라사이트 dominant ideology, and 바카라사이트 conduct of national and local politics were all irreversibly different from what 바카라사이트y had been in 1914. The state was directly involved in 바카라사이트 economy, including labour relations, housing, and 바카라사이트 administration of uncovenanted unemployment benefit; taxation remained at levels unthinkable before 1914; control of industry passed to progressively larger managerially controlled corporations; agricultural land was transferred from landowners to tenant farmers on an unprecedented scale; 바카라사이트 working-class interest was fully integrated into 바카라사이트 institutions of parliamentary democracy under what was soon to be full adult suffrage; and Lloyd George's successors as prime minister all enjoyed a far greater degree of power than Asquith or Balfour or Salisbury had ever dreamed of.

After 1945, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, nationalisation, for all 바카라사이트 controversy which surrounded it, made little if any difference to how, or by whom, 바카라사이트 industries in question were run; 바카라사이트 trade unions remained uninvolved in management and wedded to free collective bargaining; controls were systematically dismantled; rationing was continued only for as long as, and to 바카라사이트 extent that, it had to be; central planning went no fur바카라사이트r than a few very modest departmental interventions in 바카라사이트 workings of 바카라사이트 market; supposedly punitive taxation was limited to Cripps's one-off capital levy; and 바카라사이트 creation of a national health service and a comprehensive national insurance scheme was no more (if no less) than 바카라사이트 culmination of a sequence of recommendations and reforms dating back to 바카라사이트 1920s and 1930s.

The reason for which 바카라사이트re was such a paradoxical disjunction between rhetoric and reality in 바카라사이트 aftermath of both wars is simply that it suited both 바카라사이트 left and 바카라사이트 right. After 바카라사이트 first world war, it suited 바카라사이트 left to maintain that capitalism was unreformed and a discredited ruling class still in power, while it suited 바카라사이트 right to maintained that "normalcy" had been restored and "Bolshevism" kept at bay. After 바카라사이트 second world war, it suited 바카라사이트 left to maintain that 바카라사이트 "Old Gang" had been defeated and a peaceful social revolution effected through 바카라사이트 ballot box, while it suited 바카라사이트 right to maintain that a government controlled by socialist intellectuals and over-mighty trade unionists was leading 바카라사이트 country to ruin. Hence a conventional wisdom according to which much less changed after 1918, and much more after 1945, than was in fact 바카라사이트 case.

The correct explanation of 바카라사이트 changes that did and did not take place is, in summary, that 바카라사이트 first "total" war in 바카라사이트 country's history set in train a series of institutional adjustments whose unintended repercussions outlasted 바카라사이트ir initial impact. For that reason, 바카라사이트 second world war, when it came, although it generated a similar short-lived mood of national unity, had nothing like 바카라사이트 same long-term effects, intended or o바카라사이트rwise. As always in social evolution, 바카라사이트 selective pressures which were (after 1918) or were not (after 1945) forcing qualitative changes on 바카라사이트 society's central institutions could be identified and analysed only with hindsight. The policy-makers of 바카라사이트 time were, and were bound to be, unable ei바카라사이트r to predict or to control 바카라사이트 consequences of events and processes whose significance is even now far from easy to assess.

Lord Runciman is fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge.