Britain in the 20th Century: The Collapse of the Postwar Settlement, 1964-1979

The 1960s saw a new course in British politics -- the commitment of both major parties to entry into the European Community, as the European Union was then known, and a conversion to the doctrine of planning. This involved a greater degree of state intervention in the economy, together with the control of incomes and a recasting of the system of industrial relations.
This caused problems which put the authority of government in question. In the February 1974 general election, voters were asked to resolve the issue of 'Who Governs?' Both Labour and Conservative administrations sought to assert themselves against the trade unions. When, in the 'winter of discontent' of 1979, it seemed that government had become too weak to do so, the postwar settlement collapsed.
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:
www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and...
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[@anguscalder2867]

great lecture, thanks very much, helped so much with revision

[@simonheywood5065]

The lecture seems to depart from the facts in stating that "the dead ... had to be buried at sea" during the Winter of Discontent. Burial at sea was certainly mentioned by the then medical officer of health for Liverpool, Duncan Dolton, after a reporter "badgered" him, and the quote was then used to generate sensational tabloid headlines. But in reality the idea remained "hypothetical" according to the BBC.

[@gen21617]

The Victor's write the history. We clearly lost the fight. The speaker obviously got all his information from contemporary media sources.

[@monsieurbertillon9570]

@@gen21617 Yes, he talks about a 'folk memory', but what he's talking about was largely a media construction, false reality, false memory which most people still believe today.

[@etiiiiiii]

About domestic and foreign british policy of Britain from the 1950s to 1979

[@mark45stewart50]

It was much worst in Scotland since the war ended....as Westminster didnt gives us much.

[@bobdinwiddy]

the Dutch claim the post war settlement approach for their own : the POLDER MODEL : consensus politiek : a noble approach, but what happens if politics itself falls victim to foreign influence...?!

[@vincentreynolds934]

Yep.

[@theant9821]

Should have been planning for the next 50 years not 50 months.

[@ianreynolds155]

Cosmic

[@wildsurfer12]

If only this guy knew that Brexit was coming four years down the road.

[@LooneyZRJ]

I note no mention of the debt to the USA post WW2 in contrast to the vast aid to France and Germany to work against Communism, I feel that this burden is often glossed over, a insolvent Britain faced mass starvation as just one consequence of breaking our backs to fight alone in WW2

[@SuperBartles]

There are probably a few important factors that he forgets to mention here. It seems like that sort of lecture

[@Dear_Mr._Isaiah_Deringer]

Excuse me? The UK received as much aid from the Marshall fund as France and Germany - *combined!*

[@8skywalker8]

ᴅᴇᴀʀ ᴍʀ. ɪꜱᴀɪᴀʜ ᴅᴇʀɪɴɢᴇʀ; yes but the British fought the war for a number of years without the aid of the USA. And during that period paid fortunes to the USA to supply the war effort. The comment is accurate.

[@jessicarhodes4544]

what's this guy talking about?

[@KamZero]

@Stouffer lol

[@SuperMrFriendly]

I dont think this guy is the most credible or qualified person to speak about this omni-important subject. We still live on and of the remains of that period, but its eroding gradually towards oligarchy again.

[@ac1dP1nk]

The days of working people shutting the damn country down through mass membership of independent organisations are long gone surely that is obvious

[@veggie42]

SuperMrFriendly He is a Professor

[@annematos2638]

With a rightwing agenda...

[@gen21617]

Who were the Trades Unions? They were ordinary working men and women. What was the closed shop? It was an arrangement that prevented employers brining in cheaper unprotected labour - as you might find in the hospitality industry, which did not allow the unions to take hold.

[@williamfrancis5367]

"Who were the Trades Unions?" Organisations to promote the needs of their members, most public sector workers and workers heavy industries. "Closed shops" are a breach of human rights. They forced people to be a member of an organisation to seek employment.

[@johnmilligan6605]

Exactly look at the brutal exploitation in non union workplaces trade unions are one thing brittish people have a just right to be proud of along with the welfare state and the defeat of fascism o

[@veggie42]

Thatcher and Reagan's politics gave failed and these are the results with spoilt kid and affluent adults who blew it all

[@basicallywellfed3453]

Ah Ted Heath, the greatest traitor since Guy Fawkes and the gang.