ABSTRACT
Yetthesuccessofbusinesspeakassociationswaslimited.Evenafterthe FirstWorldWar,allthenationalassociationsofbusinessleadersremained divided.InBritaintheFBIsplitaftertheFirstWorldWar.Theonsetof thedepressionin1920ledtheLloydGeorgeCoalitiongovernmenttolose interestinco-ordinatingbusinessactivity.Theemployers'federationwithdrewfromtheFBIandformedtheBritishEmployers'Confederation (BEC),whichconcerneditselfwithlabourissues.Itwasaverydecentralized bodydominatedbytheEngineeringEmployers'Federation.Anotherbody foundedin1916wastheNationalUnionofManufacturers,largelyaMidlandsfederationofsmallfirms,thoughthereweresomelargefirmsinit.70 AsaresultofthisfragmentationtheFBIlackedpowerintheinter-war years.The'dominantpreoccupation'ofitsleadership'remainedtheavoidanceofdivisions'.71TheUSpeakbusinessassociations,notsoaffectedby war,remaineddivided,inspiteoftheirapprehensionsabouttheNewDeal inthe1930s.Withthebeginningsoftheco-ordinationofeconomicpolicy, Congressbecamemorereluctanttobedeflectedandbusinessmadelessand lessimpact.In1934Congressvirtuallydelegatedpoweroverthetariffto thePresident,socentralizingbyrelinquishingitsresponsibilityforthisissue totheWhiteHouse.
